Fire breaks out at chemicals manufacturing unit; no casualties

A fire broke out at a specialty chemicals manufacturing unit within the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) at Bajpe here on Saturday afternoon, but there were no casualties, police said.

They said local people heard an explosion and saw thick smoke billowing out of the Catasynth Specialty Chemicals Limited in the MSEZ.

No casualties were reported, they said.

The operation to douse the flames is on by fire tenders from Kadri fire station, Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers (MCF), New Mangalore Port Trust, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), police said.

The Catasynth Speciality Chemicals operates a greenfield facility in the zone, manufacturing petroleum by-products.

The exact reason for the mishap and the extent of loss is yet to be ascertained, the sources said.