Collector urges MIDC authorities to submit report on factory fire

Nagpur: District collector Vipin Itankar has written to the MIDC regional authorities to submit a detailed inquiry report before him probing the cause and other details of the fire tragedy at Katariya Agro factory at Nipani Sonegaon.
The fire had claimed lives of labourers Hemraj Armo, Adesh Dahiwale and Anurodh Madavi on the spot, while injuring three others.
The collector said the MIDC authorities would visit the site with their team. “We will also take up the issue of the compensation with the government,” said Itankar.
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier tweeted expressing concern about the incident and had urged the collector to monitor the situation and coordinate with the administrative agencies to extend possible help and assistances to the victims.
TOI had earlier reported about several irregularities in terms of firefighting arrangements like non-functioning of hydrants, sprinklers etc at the factory.
Meanwhile, the cause of the fire and explosion is yet to be ascertained, as per MIDC fire station officer Anand Parab.
“Though the fire was brought under control on April 24, till Tuesday the fire department continued to extinguish many smouldering items,” he said and added, “One of the labourers, who went missing, was traced on Monday night. The worker had exited from the rear side of the unit when the fire broke out.”
The raw materials required to manufacture biomass fuel pellet products were stored in large quantities and it caught fire and the entire area was engulfed in flames. TNN