Pesticides valued at more than Rs 2.5 crore were gutted in a fire which broke out in a private pesticide warehouse at Gollapudi on the city outskirts. The accident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday.
Flames rose up to ten feet from the storeroom and thick smoke enveloped the area, triggering panic among residents in the vicinity. An autorickshaw, parked near the store, was completely gutted.
According to Krishna District Fire Officer (DFO), V. Srinivas, who monitored the operation, fire broke out in Hindustan Pulverising Mills warehouse, located opposite Gollapudi market yard, and the fire control received the call around 4.45 a.m. Four fire tenders from Kothapeta, Krishna Lanka, Vijayawada and Ajitsingh Nagar were sent to the spot.
The burnt warehouse was the company authorised distribution centre for coastal areas. Thirty fire personnel battled for seven hours to put out the flames. “We suspect that the reason for the fire accident was chemical reaction in the store, which lacks ventilation,” the officer said.
“The firemen battled hard to put out the flames as the smoke from the burnt pesticides caused respiratory problems. It is said the fire broke out in the warehouse around 3 a.m. and by the time the fire tenders reached the spot, several pesticides bags were badly damaged,” said Srinivas.
Additional DFO B. Narasimha Rao said there were only two shutters for the storeroom and the firemen demolished three walls to put out the fire. Following a complaint lodged by the company’s agent P. Guru Prasad, the Fire Department registered a case, said Kothapeta station fire officer B. Srinivas Rao.