Fire at FCI warehouse in Bikaner, 11 lakh kg groundnuts destroyed

Jaipur: A major fire erupted at a Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouse in Deshnok, near Bikaner, late Sunday night, destroying a staggering stockpile of groundnuts. The blaze, which ignited around 11pm, rapidly escalated and engulfed the entire facility within just one hour, officials confirmed.Firefighters battled the inferno throughout the night, finally gaining control by Monday morning after deploying at least eight fire tenders from Deshnok, Bikaner, and Nokha. Eyewitness accounts detail how the fire intensified quickly, sending thick black smoke billowing into the air and alarming nearby residents. The highly flammable groundnut stock played a crucial role in the rapid spread of the flames.
As the fire tore through the warehouse, nearly 33,000 bags containing over 11.5 lakh kg of groundnuts were reduced to ashes. The intensity of the conflagration caused significant structural damage to the warehouse, with heavy cracks reported in several areas. Officials estimate the losses to be worth crores of rupees. In response to the emergency, a police team arrived to implement precautionary evacuations of nearby areas where additional godowns are located, ensuring that the fire did not threaten adjacent structures. The incident drew large crowds from surrounding areas, with hundreds witnessing the firefighting efforts unfold. Authorities have launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire and evaluate the full extent of the damages.