Chemical factory gutted in J&K’s Udhampur district
JAMMU: A chemical factory in Udhampur district’s Battal Ballian area was completely gutted in a massive fire that broke out during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, the officials said.
“A massive fire broke out around 12.30am on Friday and eight fire tenders were rushed to control it. Since it was a big fire, subsequently Indian Army and Indian Air Force were requisitioned by the civil administration,” said a police officer.
It took nearly four hours to douse the fire, but by then the entire chemical factory, Dhanuka Agritech Limited, was gutted in the incident. Though the exact reason behind the fire was not immediately known, a short circuit in the live wires is suspected to have triggered it. There was no loss of life reported in the incident.
Police have taken cognizance of the situation and have initiated investigations. The fire was brought under control on Friday morning.
Distress call received by military garrison
A defence spokesperson said that a distress call from the civil administration of Udhampur was received by the station commander, Military Garrison, Udhampur, seeking the army’s assistance in dousing the fire. “Rising to the occasion, three fire fighting trucks of the army were immediately rushed to the spot and in collaboration with fire tenders from the civil administration and air force, the fire was brought under control in the wee hours of Friday, though the factory was damaged,” he said.
The swift action, however, resulted in restricting the spread of fire to nearby civil areas, thereby saving precious lives, the spokesperson added.
Agro-chemical maker Dhanuka Agritech on Friday, in a regulatory filing, said, “...unfortunately, a fire broke out in the company’s Unit situated at Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir in the late-night yesterday. Our emergency response team and local fire brigade have already reached there and brought the fire under control.”
The Delhi-based company said it had appointed an internal investigation team to ascertain the cause of the fire. “We are extending full cooperation to the local authorities while they investigate the incident,” the company said in the filing.