Angul (Orissa), April 7 (IANS) A major fire devastated an abandoned coal-based urea plant in Orissa's Angul district, with officials saying Saturday they were ignorant how the blaze erupted.
Firefighters were still battling hard Saturday morning the raging flames that were noticed at about 3 p.m. Friday. The state-run Fertilizer Corp of India (FCI) plant is located at Bikrampur village, 12 km from Angul town.
At least 100 fire fighters from various parts of the district tried to bring the fire under control.
The fire is suspected to have destroyed the cooling plant, the conveyer belt, the ammonia plant, the central store and other areas of the complex, said one official.
The cause of the fire is not known. No estimates have been given about the loss of property. According to one estimate, the damage could be worth several million rupees.
The plant was set up in the late 1970s and started production from 1980. As it failed to make any profits till 1992, the government closed it down in 2001.
The district administration has evacuated the residents of at least five nearby villages to safer places.