India: Fire breaks out at Pachpadra refinery ahead of Modi inauguration

India: Fire breaks out at Pachpadra refinery ahead of Modi inauguration
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A massive fire broke out at a refinery in Pachpadra, Rajasthan, India spewing thick black smoke into the sky less than 24 hours before Narendra Modi was due to inaugurate the facility.

Officials said the blaze erupted in the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) section of the refinery, a key component in the fuel processing system.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, though emergency teams were deployed to contain the fire and assess damage.

The refinery is a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Rajasthan government, forming India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex.

Authorities said an investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the fire, with safety teams working to stabilise the affected unit.

The Pachpadra refinery is considered a major infrastructure project aimed at boosting India’s domestic refining capacity and reducing reliance on imported fuels.