Jaipur, April 21 (NationPress) Rajasthan's Chief Minister, Bhajanlal Sharma, is set to visit the Pachpadra Refinery in Barmer on Tuesday to assess the site following a significant fire incident that occurred on Monday, just a day prior to its planned inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Departing from Jaipur, Chief Minister Sharma is anticipated to arrive at the refinery by 12:35 PM, where he will evaluate the damages near the Crude Distillation Unit.

The blaze caused widespread alarm at the Pachpadra Refinery complex, located in Balotra district, Rajasthan.

Due to this incident, the visit scheduled for Tuesday by Prime Minister Modi has now been postponed.

Chief Minister Sharma has initiated a thorough investigation into the fire.

In the meantime, HPCL has assured that all refinery units are structurally secure and that the fire did not affect other sections of the facility.

The fire was swiftly controlled thanks to the immediate response from HPCL teams and the state administration, with no reported injuries or fatalities.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has established a high-level committee that includes external experts to further investigate the cause of the fire and to recommend urgent remedial actions.

According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on their 'X' handle, "Thanks to the quick actions by HPCL and the State Administration, the fire was extinguished promptly, and there were no casualties. All units of the refinery are structurally secure. The Ministry has formed a high-level committee of external experts to determine the root cause of the incident and to recommend immediate remedial measures."

HPCL confirmed in an official statement that the fire originated from the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) section of the Pachpadra Refinery. Initial assessments suggest that a hydrocarbon leak from a valve flange within the heat exchanger circuit might have caused the fire.

The fire was confined to the heat exchanger stack, prompting immediate isolation of the CDU, VDU, and other units as a precaution.

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

Reports indicate that the fire started within the CDU section but was quickly contained by emergency response teams.

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

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

It is noteworthy that PM Modi was expected to visit Rajasthan on Tuesday for a significant occasion in the country's energy and industrial sectors, dedicated to the nation’s first greenfield integrated Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex at Pachpadra in Balotra.

The event was slated for around 11:30 AM on Tuesday, followed by a public address.

This refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, a collaborative venture between HPCL and the Government of Rajasthan, has been established with an investment exceeding Rs 79,450 crore.

With an impressive capacity of 9 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum, it stands as one of the most significant greenfield projects in the sector. The complex is designed to be a cutting-edge facility that integrates both refining and petrochemical production.