Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, May 28: Major fire broke out in a chemical factory at Battal Ballian Industrial area, here late last night triggering a panic wave among people in surroundings.
The fire broke out in the factory of Dhanuka Agritech Limited around 11:45 pm last night and soon engulfed the entire complex. Even as there was no loss of life or injuries to anyone, the industrial unit got completely devastated in the fire.
On the request of district administration, Army and Air Force were roped in for extinguishing the fire, but it took around seven hours to completely control the blazes.
For precautionary measure, District Administration Udhampur had timely evacuated people from surrounding 10 kms area of the industrial unit.
Reports said that soon after the fire broke out in the factory and a message was flashed in this regard, seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot under the supervision of Yogesh Sharma, Incharge Udhampur Fire Station.
Despite hectic efforts, the fire soon went out of control following which Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Indu Kanwal Chib called Air Force and Army to help.
Defence spokesman said that a distress call from the civil administration Udhampur was received by the Station Commander, Military Garrison Udhampur, seeking Army’s assistance in dousing the raging fire. “We got a call from Deputy Commissioner Udhampur informing that a massive fire had broken out in the industrial area,” said Air force Officer, Dalbir S Bahl.
Rising to the occasion, three Trucks Fire Fighting (TFFs) of the Army were immediately rushed to the spot and in collaboration with fire tenders from Civil and Air Force helicopters, the fire was brought under control by the wee hours.
Exact cause of fire was not yet ascertained even as electric short circuit is believed to be the reason behind the same. The matter is under investigation and Police has registered the case in this regard.
SSP Udhampur, Sargun Shukla, DySP Hqrs Udhampur Sahil Mahajan, SHO Udhampur Chaman Gorkha and others officers had rushed to the spot on getting information about the incident.
Meanwhile, locals of Battal Ballian have demanded shifting of the red category industrial units working in the area. There are about 15 red category units in this area posing risk to the lives of around 15000 thousand population in the surroundings, they said and added that there are also Government and private schools in the area.
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