INDIA – Massive Blaze Erupts at Rajasthan’s HPCL Refinery

A major fire erupted on Monday afternoon at the HPCL Pachpadra Refinery in Balotra, Rajasthan, triggering panic just a day before its scheduled inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to sources, the blaze is believed to have started after an explosion in a heat exchanger near the refinery’s CDU-VDU section. The CDU (Crude Distillation Unit) and VDU (Vacuum Distillation Unit) are key operational units of the refinery and were expected to be inaugurated on Tuesday. However, officials have not yet confirmed either the exact cause of the fire or the specific section affected.

Soon after the fire broke out, thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the refinery premises. Employees immediately activated the fire safety system in an effort to control the flames. More than a dozen fire tenders, along with teams from the district administration, police, and civil defence department, were deployed to the site to carry out firefighting operations.

As a precautionary measure, the entire area was evacuated and all employees were safely moved out of the premises. Officials confirmed that no casualties have been reported so far.

The incident caused considerable disruption at the refinery, leaving the area on high alert. Authorities stated that the extent of the damage and the exact cause of the fire will be assessed only after the blaze is fully brought under control.

In view of the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Pachpadra has been cancelled, and the inauguration ceremony has been postponed as a safety precaution.

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