Jaipur: A massive fire broke out at an oil packing factory in the Matsya Industrial Area (MIA) near Alwar city on Saturday morning, triggering panic in the industrial area.
Towering flames and thick plumes of smoke could be seen from a considerable distance.
The blaze prompted the evacuation of nearby factories as a precautionary measure to prevent loss of life in case the fire spread.
More than 12 fire tenders from Alwar and Khairthal-Tijara were put in service to bring the fire under control. Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma also reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. He met factory owner Pawan Chaudhary and took stock of the situation.
The fire broke out at Alwar Salvex, a factory involved in mustard oil packaging in the Matsya Industrial Area.
The blaze reportedly started around 6 a.m. on Saturday and intensified rapidly due to the presence of large quantities of oil and packaging materials.
Fire official Amit Meena said more than 12 fire tenders had reached the site. Firefighters are continuously using water jets in an effort to contain the blaze.
As the flames intensified and thick smoke spread across the area, nearby factories were evacuated as a precaution, he said. A large crowd also gathered near the site after seeing the towering flames.
The cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained. Fire department personnel and other officials are investigating the circumstances leading to the incident.
Alwar Collector Artika Shukla said administrative and fire department teams were present at the site and efforts to extinguish the fire were continuing till the time of filing this report.
Additional fire tenders have been called from Bhiwadi and Khairthal-Tijara to strengthen firefighting operations.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, particularly because of the presence of oil and other combustible materials at the factory.
(IANS)
