Fire in potato chips unit in UP’s Unnao, stock worth ₹7 crore destroyed

A fire broke out in a potato chips manufacturing unit of Agrotech Foods in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district Sunday morning but all employees were safely evacuated, officials said.

A fire broke out in a potato chips manufacturing unit of Agrotech Foods in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district Sunday morning but all employees were safely evacuated, officials said.

There were 400 people working at the Magarwara unit when the low-intensity fire broke out and spread to other parts of the factory rapidly, said additional chief fire officer Shiv Daras. (ANI/Twitter)

There were 400 people working at the Magarwara unit when the low-intensity fire broke out and spread to other parts of the factory rapidly, said additional chief fire officer Shiv Daras.

All the employees were safely evacuated and the fire fighters doused the flames after a two-hour-long effort, he said, adding that the company hadn’t taken any no objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department.

It is suspected that an electrical short circuit or a malfunction in one of the fryers at the factory could have caused the fire. According to police, about 80 gas cylinders were kept under the shed where packaging is done and had the fire reached there before they were removed, it could have led to a heavy toll.

Circle officer, Kotwali, Umesh Tyagi said no one was injured in the fire. The company, which makes chips and other food items for export,said food items worth ₹7 crore were destroyed.