Fire at Rajasthan refinery site day before inauguration by PM Modi

A fire broke out at the Pachpadra refinery in Rajasthan's Balotra district a day before its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and efforts were underway to douse the flames. No immediate reports of casualties were available, they said. According to initial reports, the blaze erupted in the CDU (Crude Distillation Unit) section of the refinery on Monday. Due to the high-profile inauguration programme on Tuesday, the fire led to some chaos within the refinery premises as emergency response teams rushed to contain the situation. The blaze has raised concerns over safety arrangements at the site. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma is also scheduled to visit the refinery later on Monday around 4 pm, officials said. Authorities said further details are awaited and an assessment of the damage caused by the fire is being carried out. The prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate India's first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex on Tuesday. The project has an investment of more than Rs 79,450 crore, as per the government.