Major fire destroys factory

A large fire tore through a factory in Kempegowda Industrial Estate near Kamakshipalya on Friday afternoon, prompting fire and emergency services to dispatch seven tenders to douse the flames.

A senior official said there was no loss of life in the fire, which broke out at the transformer oil recycling unit that converts the oil into gum tape. Fire personnel said the accident happened at 3.45 pm.

Employees at the factory attributed the fire to an LPG cylinder blast. "Goods worth Rs 20 lakh may have been gutted," an official said. "But, we need to ascertain from the owner the precise extent of loss."

Fire officials collected samples from the accident spot, which they will send to the Forensic Science Laboratory to ascertain the cause of the fire.