Fire at Titagarh: Jute mill workers suspect foul play

A massive fire broke out at Jute Mill in Titagarh area of North 24 Parganas on Thursday.

The blaze spread over the 10,000 sq ft area of the factory, especially in the store section, where jute materials were stocked.

Eight fire tenders were fighting the flame which was first spotted at 10.00 pm, the officials said.

The fire, which was suspected to have been caused by short circuit, partly affected traffic in nearby state highway. There was no casualty or injury, the officials said.

However, this incident is a grim reminder of major fire break out in one of the jute mills in Howrah 

district on just a couple of weeks ago. No casualties were reported in that incident either. The cause of the fire was still not clear.

A total of 16 fire engines were pressed into service to douse the fire.

However, in the Titagarh fire case, the labourers alleged that the mill, which was running, when the fire broke out, reportedly did not have adequate fire security arrangements.

The fire is estimated to have caused a loss of more than Rs.1 crore, reducing the jute stocks to ashes.

“The cause of the fire might be short circuit. But we will definitely probe the allegation of the labourers. They have alleged that the owners set the factory on fire. It was a conspiracy,” said a fire brigade officer.

On December 24, last year a four-storey warehouse on the city’s western fringes, in South 24 Parganas district was engulfed in flames.

Fire had also destroyed the finished goods godown and other machinery at Hukumchand jute mill in Kakinara in North 24-Parganas district in early 2015.

Fire brigade personnel said that four fire tenders were pressed into service and the finished jute goods were damaged in the fire early on Friday morning. The fire is still blazing but is under control, firemen said.