A chemical plant at Vadluru industrial area in the taluk was completely gutted after the boilers in the unit exploded on Saturday resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 8 crore. However, there were no reports of casualties.
As many as seven fire engines were struggling to douse fire till late evening. A series of boilers exploded as fire engulfed the plant - Raichur Lab Pvt Ltd. The impact of the explosion was such that several villages in the vicinity including Chikkasugur, Vadluru and Hegasanahalli, were engulfed in thick smoke.
The entire plant, including the machinery, was completely damaged in the fire. Employees rushed out of the plant soon after they spotted the fire. The exact reason for the fire will be known after a probe, the Shaktinagar police said.
The Raichur Lab Pvt Ltd, established in 2013, used to supply more than 20 chemicals required to manufacture the life-saving drugs.