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Fire at Pachpadra refinery in Rajasthan ahead of PM Modi inauguration
A fire broke out in the crude distillation unit of the Pachpadra refinery in Rajasthan’s Balotra district on April 19, 2026, around 2:00 pm, a day before the planned inauguration by Prime Minister Modi. The blaze triggered a large emergency response, with in-house safety systems activated and workers evacuated; no injuries were reported. Politicians responded, with the chief minister visiting the site and calls for a thorough, time-bound probe into the cause.
Why It Matters
The incident precedes a high-profile inauguration and raises safety and accountability questions for a major greenfield refinery project.
Timeline
4 Events
Barmer MP calls for probe
April 20, 2026
Barmer MP Ummedaram Beniwal called for a high-level, impartial and time-bound probe to determine the exact cause and fix accountability.
Ashok Gehlot calls incident unfortunate
April 20, 2026
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot described the incident as unfortunate, especially a day before the refinery’s inauguration.
Chief minister visits Pachpadra refinery
April 20, 2026
Chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the Pachpadra refinery following the fire incident.
Fire breaks out at Pachpadra refinery CDU
April 19, 2026
At around 2:00 pm on April 19, 2026, a fire broke out in the crude distillation unit (CDU) of the Pachpadra refinery in Balotra district, Rajasthan. Thick black smoke was visible from several kilometers away. Authorities suggested a possible technical fault as the initial cause. About 30 to 35 fire brigades were deployed, the refinery’s in-house fire safety system was activated, and fire brigade teams and hydrants were used. Workers were evacuated and the area cleared. No injuries or casualties were reported at that time, with investigators planned to determine the cause later.