Fire mishap at paint plant in Nacharam

• Eight fire tenders battle for 7 hrs to put out fire
• No casualties as it broke out during lunch hour

Hyderabad: A paint manufacturing factory was partly reduced to ashes in a massive fire at Nacharam on Thursday afternoon. The fire damaged the major part of the factory and triggered a huge explosion of turpentine drums.

However, no casualties were reported in the fire that struck JP Paint Industry at around 12.30 noon.

Smoke billowing out of the building was seen as far as two kilometers from the spot. The fire tenders battled the blaze to prevent it from spreading to the adjacent buildings in the area. According to fire brigade officials, the flames first engulfed the turpentine barrels. Within minutes, parts of the factory were gutted as thousands of litres of flammable chemical and a huge stock of turpentine were stored on the factory premises.

“The fire was uncontrollable. Though we rushed eight fire tenders, the water cannons proved insufficient to control the blaze. The fire produced giant plumes of black smoke and thick chemical smell lingered in the neighbouring area,” a fire official said. Locals said, “As it was lunchtime, a majority of workers left for lunch and very few workers were inside the factory when the fire started, but they were rescued in time before the fire could spread.” A total of eight fire tenders including three water tankers were requisitioned from Mallapur, Malkajgiri, Moula Ali, Secunderabad, Musheerabad, Sanathnagar, Hayathnagar and Gowliguda. It was only after a seven-hour-long sustained fire fighting that the fire personnel brought the blaze under control.

“Though initial reports suggested an electrical short-circuit could have sparked off the blaze, we are investigating the matter,” said M Purushottam, Station Fire Officer (SFO) of Malkajgiri. He also said it was too early to quantify the damage.