What Caused the Fire at Rajasthan's Pachpadra Refinery? CM Sharma to Investigate

A fire broke out at the Pachpadra Refinery in Rajasthan just before its inauguration by Prime Minister Modi, prompting Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to launch an investigation. The blaze, which caused panic but resulted in no injuries, has led to the formation of a high-level committee to determine its cause. HPCL confirmed that all units remain structurally safe, and emergency teams quickly contained the fire. This incident has postponed the Prime Minister's visit, which was set to mark a significant milestone for India's energy sector.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 21, 2026, 13:11 IST

Fire Incident at Pachpadra Refinery

Jaipur: The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Bhajanlal Sharma, is set to visit Barmer on Tuesday to assess the situation at the Pachpadra Refinery, where a significant fire erupted on Monday, just a day prior to its planned inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sharma will leave Jaipur and is anticipated to arrive at the refinery around 12:35 PM to evaluate the damage near the Crude Distillation Unit.

The blaze caused considerable alarm within the Pachpadra Refinery complex located in Balotra district, leading to the postponement of Prime Minister Modi's visit originally scheduled for Tuesday.

In response to the incident, Chief Minister Sharma has mandated a thorough investigation.

HPCL has assured that all refinery units are structurally intact and that the fire did not affect other areas of the facility.

Thanks to the swift actions of HPCL teams and local authorities, the fire was quickly controlled, with no reported injuries or fatalities.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has formed a high-level committee of external experts to determine the cause of the fire and suggest immediate corrective actions.

The Ministry stated on its 'X' handle, "Thanks to the prompt actions taken by HPCL and State Administration, the fire was doused quickly and no loss of life or injury to anyone has been reported. All units of the refinery are structurally safe. Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has constituted a high-level committee consisting of external experts to assess and investigate the root cause behind the incident and take remedial actions on an urgent basis."

HPCL confirmed that the fire started in the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) section, with initial investigations suggesting a hydrocarbon leak from a valve flange in the heat exchanger circuit as a potential cause.

The fire was contained within the heat exchanger stack, and as a precaution, the CDU, VDU, and other units were promptly isolated.

HPCL reiterated that all units are structurally sound and that no other parts of the refinery have been affected.

Reports indicate that the fire originated in the CDU section but was quickly managed by emergency response teams.

While preliminary assessments suggest a hydrocarbon leak in the heat exchanger circuit as the likely cause, officials have yet to confirm this.

HPCL has stated that both internal and external expert teams are currently investigating the cause and evaluating the impact on operations.

It is noteworthy that PM Modi was scheduled to visit Rajasthan on Tuesday for a significant event in the energy and industrial sectors, aimed at dedicating India's first greenfield integrated Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex at Pachpadra in Balotra.

The inauguration was planned for around 11:30 AM Tuesday, followed by a public address.

This refinery-cum-petrochemical complex is a collaborative effort between HPCL and the Government of Rajasthan, with a substantial investment exceeding Rs 79,450 crore.

With a production capacity of 9 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum, it stands as one of the most important greenfield projects in the sector, designed as a cutting-edge facility that combines both refining and petrochemical production.