Bed-making unit near Walajah gutted

Around 30 employees of a bed unit in Kolatheri, near the city of Walajah, in Ranipet, in Chennai – Bengaluru Highway (NH 44), escaped unharmed after the fire broke out in the unit on Friday, which results in a thick smoke in the area. Police said they were around 11 in the morning when N. Sankaran, owner, went to his unit as part of his routine patrol of the facilities, noticed a thick smoke from the unit. Immediately, together with other employees and residents, he tried to turn off the fire, but the fire spread to the entire unit, which is around 5000 square feet. Based on alert, a fire team of 20 members of Ranipet Sipcot and Arcot rushed to the place. Before firefighters could reach the place, the fire spread to all the Godown. After almost three hours, firefighters soaked. They also rescued the employees trapped in the unit. However, the entire installation was completely destroyed. The tons of cotton rolls, the material of the residual fabric and the machinery that were estimated around RS 30 Lakhs were destroyed in the accident. The residents complained of severe ocular irritation especially among the children and the elderly due to the smoke of the unit. A case was registered by the Walajah police. Police said an electric short circuit of the main electric plaque within the unit could be the reason for the incident. A probe is underway.