Raw material reportedly worth lakhs of rupees were gutted in a phenyl and broomsticks manufacturing industry at Sherewad near Hubballi on Monday night.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and H.N. Nandakumar, brother of the former Union Minister late Ananthkumar, have a partnership in Vibhav Industries where the fire broke out.
On being alerted, the Hubballi Rural Police and Fire and Emergency Services personnel immediately rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire, sources said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Pralhad Joshi visited the spot and told presspersons that according to preliminary investigation, a short circuit seemed to be the cause of the fire. Timely intervention had helped in checking further loss and damage, he said and added that he had asked the Fire and Emergency Services officials to investigate the matter and submit a report.
The CEO of Vibhav Industries [Mr. Nandakumar] said that as there was more demand post lockdown, they had stored more raw material.
As a holiday had been declared on account of festivals, there were no workers in the factory when the fire broke out.
Raw material approximately worth ₹ 4.5 crore were gutted, he said.
Meanwhile, as smaller fires were being noticed in the pile of raw material used for broomsticks, the Fire and Emergency Services personnel stationed at the site were busy dousing them.
