Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh): A fire broke out in a pipe-making factory in the Imlikheda Industrial Area in the district on Friday, destroying raw material worth crores of rupees, official sources said.
On getting information, fire engines rushed to the spot and and doused the flames after working for five hours.
A column of smoke emanating from the factory was seen from the distance of three km.
Policemen were posted in the area, and the houses near the factory were vacated. More than 25 tankers were pressed into service to douse the flames.
Collector Harendra Narayan also reached the spot and spoke to the owner of the factory, Prakash Gupta, to take feedback on the incident.
The fire spread fast because it was a plastic pipe-making factory. The district administration is probing the case. Gupta said a short circuit had caused the fire.
Sub-divisional magistrate Sudhir Jain said the fire broke out at 12:30pm and fire engines were called from Chandameta, Parasia, Badkuhi, and Amarwada areas.
The commissioner of the municipal corporation, CP Rai, and other officials were present at the spot of the incident.