Goods worth Rs 3 cr gutted in factory fire

Jamakhandi (Bagalkot dist), Sep 12: Property worth Rs 3 crore was gutted after a major fire broke out in a factory, that manufactures diesel oil filter paper, on Jambgi Road in the town in the early hours of Sunday.

The fire is said to have caused by electrical short circuit. No casualty was reported in the incident as the factory was closed in view of Ganesha festival. The factory belongs to SRS Papers and Boards Private Ltd.

The watchman, who spotted the smoke in the wee hours of Sunday, soon informed the director Sanjeev Basappa Teli who in turn informed the same to Fire and Emergencies Service personnel. Before the firemen could reach the spot, the manufacturing unit was completely gutted in the fire.

Machinery, raw materials, oil filter papers and furniture were completely destroyed in the mishap. The manufacturing unit used to import raw materials from the United States. It is said, the unit had imported raw materials worth Rs 40 lakh from the US. The factory, one of its kind in the state, used to supply diesel oil filter papers used in lorries, tractors and other vehicles, to Bengaluru, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and other states. Police Inspector Sunilkumar Nandeeshwar and staff visited the spot and took stock of the situation. Jamakhandi Rural police have registered a case and investigations are on.