Fire broke out on the factory premises of HLL Lifecare Ltd. in Peroorkada on Friday, sparking panic among the employees and residents nearby. There were no casualties in the incident.
The incident occurred around 7 p.m. at the scrap yard behind the factory in which several employees were present. A few people who spotted smoke billowing from the area alerted the workers, following which four fire tenders were pressed into service by the Fire and Rescue Services from their Chengalchoola and Chakka fire stations. The blaze was brought under control within an hour.
While factory discards, including rubber, are usually auctioned off every month, the lockdown had led to an accumulation of the waste materials for around three months.
The swift action of the Fire and Rescue Services prevented the flames from spreading to the furnace tank and other parts of the factory nearby. A comprehensive probe has been ordered into the incident.
