GUNTUR: Over 15,000 bags of red chilli were reduced to ashes in a fire accident at VGT Cold Storage in Nallapadu of Guntur district in the early hours of Thursday. The mirchi stored in two chambers of the five-storeyed unit went up in flames in a matter of hours after a short circuit on the top floor.
Ten fire tenders were pressed into service, but firefighters were still trying to douse the blaze using additional water tankers. The compound wall behind the building has been torn down in a bid to save at least some of the stocks and contain the fire.
Guntur Market Yard secretary M Venkateswara Reddy said while, cold storage unit contains 70,000 bags of chilli; 35,000 bags of chilli are in another portion of the unit and they are out of danger. In the remaining 35,000 bags, fire brigade personnel can save 50% of the stocks approximately. They got information about fire accident at 3 am and immediately swung into action. CPM leaders Pasam Rama Rao and Y Radha Krishna, who visited the cold storage unit and spoke to farmers who had suffered losses, demanded a compensation of `12,000 per quintal for all victims.
Pinesetty Narayana, the owner of the cold storage unit, said the stocks had been fully insured, and so the amount lost could be reclaimed.
Nallapadu SI Sk Ameer along with revenue officials inspected the place and registered a case.
District Fire Officer V Srinivasa Reddy said locals had spotted fire billowing out of the building in the wee hours of Thursday and immediately alerted authorities. “Though fire tenders from Vijayawada, Prakasam and Guntur districts have been pressed into service, it will take some more time to tame the flames,” he said.
Stocks insured
Pinesetty Narayana, the owner of the cold storage unit, said the stocks had been fully insured. While, cold storage unit contains 70,000 bags of chilli; 35,000 bags of chilli are in another portion of the unit and they are out of danger. In the remaining 35,000 bags, fire brigade personnel can save 50% of the stocks.
Police outpost opened at Guntur Mirchi Yard
Guntur : Guntur Market Yard chairman M Subba Rao inaugurated the police outpost at the market yard here on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, he said 10,000 farmers visit the market yard daily and added that now there will be protection for the produce of farmers with the presence of police on the market premises.
Subba Rao said that farmers are suffering huge loses due to middlemen and the presence of police will help reign in agents. He said that the officials will instal CCTV cameras and other latest equipment at a cost of J10 lakh to maintain law and order and control traffic near the mirchi yard. Additional SP YT Naidu said the police outpost will help deal anti-social elements with iron hand. Guntur Rural DSP RVSN Murthy, market yard secretary M Venkateswara Reddy, CI B Balamurali Krishna, SI Subba Rao and others were present.