Jaipur, India – Web Desk: A major fire broke out at a refinery in India’s Rajasthan state just a day before its scheduled inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to local media reports.
Initial reports said the blaze erupted in the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) section of the facility. Thick plumes of black smoke were seen rising from the site following the incident.
Authorities said there were no immediate reports of casualties, while emergency response teams were deployed to control the fire.
The refinery is located in the Pachpadra area of Barmer district and is described as India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex. The project is a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Government of Rajasthan.
The foundation stone of the project was initially laid in 2013 by former Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, with an estimated cost of ₹37,230 crore. Following a change in government, the project was relaunched in 2018 by Prime Minister Modi, with revised costs rising to ₹43,129 crore.
Officials say the refinery is designed not only for fuel production but also for large-scale downstream petrochemical output, making it a key infrastructure project for India’s energy sector.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is expected, while authorities continue efforts to fully contain the blaze.
