Chemical factory gutted in inferno in J&K’s Udhampur

A Chemical factory in Battal area in J&K’s Udhampur district was gutted in an inferno that broke out on the intervening Thursday and Friday night.…

A Chemical factory in Battal area in J&K’s Udhampur district was gutted in an inferno that broke out on the intervening Thursday and Friday night.

News agency GNS quoted eyewitnesses saying the fire broke out at ‘Dhanuka Chemical Factory’, adjacent to 187 Batallion CRPF camp, possibly due to short circuit, and soon after spread to take

the whole structure.

By the time the Fire and Emergency reached the spot to douse of the flames, the factory had received a substantial damage, they said.

A Fire and Emergency official told GNS that the fire had broken around midnight and was doused of at 4:30 AM.

“We pressed seven fire tenders into service to put out the fire”, the official said adding that “It was too difficult to bring the fire into control as chemicals inside the building gave out

strong and pungent fumes.”

The official further said that Indian Air Force was also requisitioned for putting off the fire and the billowing smoke to avoid any possible air pollution in the vicinity.

He said residue chemicals burnt in the incident are still emanating smoke.

An official told GNS that though the factory has received a major damage, however there was no human injury or loss in the incident.