HPCL says hydrocarbon leak triggered fire at Rajasthan refinery site

A fire at the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd refinery in Pachpadra, Balotra, was likely caused by a hydrocarbon leak from a valve or flange in the heat exchanger circuit of the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), the company said on Tuesday.

The blaze was localised to the heat exchanger stack and was swiftly brought under control by the refinery’s emergency response team. The CDU, Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU) and associated units were immediately isolated, with officials stating that all structures remain safe and unaffected. No other section of the refinery was impacted.

There were no reports of casualties or injuries.


The incident had prompted deployment of emergency services, with firefighters working to contain the situation. It occurred ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to dedicate the refinery, which has since been postponed, according to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Also Read: Rajasthan chief secretary meets HPCL chairman over refinery blaze

An investigation has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess any financial or operational impact, which is not expected to be material.

V Srinivas held discussions with HPCL’s chairman on Tuesday morning and said a detailed review meeting would be conducted at the refinery. He halted in Jodhpur before proceeding to the site along with a team of officials to assess the situation on the ground.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma is also scheduled to visit Pachpadra and hold meetings with officials. Srinivas said the state government is closely monitoring the situation and taking the incident seriously, with a comprehensive review planned at the site.

Also Read: Fire at Rajasthan refinery site a day before PM Modi’s inauguration