Two persons were injured in a fire that gutted a chemical factory on the Kanjikode industrial estate, near Palakkad, on Thursday. The fire engulfed the thinner-making unit and raged for a few hours, keeping the Fire and Rescue Services at bay.
The injured were identified as Benny K. Andrews, a Fire and Rescue Services official, and factory worker Aruna from Kanjikode.
Hospitalised
There were nine women workers at the factory when the accident occurred around 11 a.m. While Aruna suffered burns, the other women escaped unhurt. Both the injured were admitted to different hospitals.
The police said a can containing thinner caught fire while being loaded into a vehicle. It soon spread to the factory, burning nearly 40,000 litres of turpentine and causing intermittent blasts. The fire got fanned by wind, gutting two vehicles.
As many as six fire tenders and dozens of firemen from different units were pressed into service. They had to struggle for over three hours. The factory was gutted beyond recognition. The firemen said lack of safety measures had led to the accident. Although there were nine employees, no steps to ensure safety were adopted.