Chennai, Aug 20:
Goods worth several lakh rupees were destroyed after a massive fire broke out at a private paper mill at Vadukampatti near Kallur in Tirunelveli district on Wednesday, with firefighting operations continuing for a second day on Thursday as the blaze remained difficult to bring under control.
According to reports, the fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon when old paper bundles stacked inside a section of the mill suddenly caught fire amid scorching weather conditions. Strong winds caused the flames to spread rapidly across the premises, making firefighting operations more challenging.
The paper mill, which employs more than 500 workers, witnessed panic as the fire intensified. Around 25,000 tonnes of old paper bales, reportedly worth several lakh rupees, were destroyed in the blaze.
More than 50 firefighters, led by District Fire Officer Bhanupriya, rushed to the spot in six fire engines after receiving information about the incident. Fire personnel continued battling the flames through the night, but the fire could not be fully brought under control.
Firefighting operations resumed on Thursday, with teams continuing efforts to prevent the blaze from spreading further and to bring the situation under control. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be officially established, and further investigation is expected.