Fire breaks out in drip irrigation pipeline factory in Gadwal

Hyderabad: A major fire broke out at a drip irrigation pipeline manufacturing factory in Ieeja of Gadwal district on Saturday. Thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the factory premises, triggering panic among workers and residents in the surrounding area.According to Ieeja SI Srinivas, the fire is believed to have started in the production or storage section of the factory, where plastic raw materials and finished drip pipes were stored in large quantities. The highly flammable nature of the materials caused the flames to spread rapidly, making initial firefighting efforts difficult. Three workers who were present at the factory rushed out as soon as they noticed the fire.Fire tenders rushed to the spot and battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control. Police personnel and revenue officials also reached the site and cordoned off the area to ensure public safety and allow rescue operations to proceed smoothly.Police said no casualties were reported. However, the incident caused significant damage to machinery, raw materials, and finished goods, leading to heavy financial losses for the factory management, estimated at around Rs 3 crore. The exact extent of the damage will be assessed after a detailed inspection.The cause of the fire has not yet been officially established. However, authorities indicated that a short circuit or a technical fault in the manufacturing unit could be possible causes. A formal inquiry has been initiated, and the factory's fire safety compliance records are likely to be examined as part of the investigation. Police registered a case and took up the investigation.