The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has initiated a probe into the fire that broke out at the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery (HRRL) in Pachpadra-Balotra, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit for the inauguration of the newly built plant on Tuesday.
Officials of the National Investigation Agency conduct searches at multiple locations in Punjab in connection with the Amritsar temple grenade attack case. | File Photo: IANS
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has initiated a probe into the fire that broke out at the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery (HRRL) in Pachpadra-Balotra, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit for the inauguration of the newly built plant on Tuesday.
A team of NIA officials arrived in Pachpadra by helicopter on Tuesday afternoon and landed at a helipad near the refinery. They rushed to the incident site at the crude distillation unit (CDU) of the plant.
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The investigating team inspected the location and took stock of the situation, reviewing and scrutinising equipment and components. Refinery authorities and district officials were also present.
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Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma also reached the site from Jaipur to take on-the-spot stock of the situation and received a briefing from officials regarding Monday’s fire.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Joga Ram Patel, Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Sharma, and refinery authorities were present during the visit.
A massive fire broke out on Monday afternoon in the crude distillation unit (CDU), about one kilometre away from the venue of the inauguration ceremony and the Prime Minister’s public meeting.
The incident, ahead of the Prime Minister’s major programme on Tuesday, created panic for a short while. However, the presence of multiple fire brigade units deployed for the high-profile event and VVIP visit provided some relief, as they immediately swung into action to douse the flames.
Refinery staff also activated the plant’s fire safety systems to control the blaze. The fire was largely brought under control within 45 minutes, though it took over an hour to completely extinguish it.
The Prime Minister’s visit and the inaugural ceremony were later postponed, with a new date to be announced.
The probable cause of the fire is believed to be a leakage of hydrocarbons from a valve. However, the exact cause will be ascertained during the course of the investigation, possibly by the NIA.
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