A fire at a tar-processing factory in Raipur’s Urla industrial area was brought under control on Monday after workers were evacuated safely, but the incident has raised fresh questions about safety arrangements at the unit following another fire there in recent months.
The blaze broke out at about 1.30 pm while workers were present at the factory. Thick smoke rose from the facility and was visible from several kilometres away, prompting police and fire brigade teams to rush to the site and begin firefighting operations.
Emergency crews worked from different sides of the factory and used foam to contain the flames. A bulldozer was also deployed to demolish part of a structure as teams attempted to prevent the fire from spreading to other sections of the facility. All workers present at the time were evacuated safely, and no casualties were reported.
Aditya Pandey, additional deputy commissioner of police for the North Zone, confirmed that the fire had been brought under control and that there had been no loss of life. He said a case would be registered and the incident investigated, with further legal action to depend on the findings.
A tar leak during processing is suspected to have triggered the fire, but the exact cause had not been confirmed. Police are also expected to examine the earlier fire at the unit as part of the investigation. The inquiry will assess what caused the latest blaze and whether safety lapses contributed to it.
The extent of damage to the factory was not immediately known. The repeat occurrence places attention on the operational safeguards at industrial units handling flammable or high-temperature materials, including the systems used to detect leaks, isolate processing areas and respond before a fire spreads. The available information does not establish whether any specific safety rule was violated.
The investigation will now determine the cause of the fire, examine the suspected leak and review the factory’s safety arrangements in light of the previous incident. Further legal action will depend on the findings, according to the police.
