By TC News Desk
Agartala, 16th June 2024 : A massive fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday at Dukli Industrial Area in Agartala, destroying two units of puffed and flattened rice factories. The blaze was caused by a gas pipeline leak from Tripura Natural Gas Company Ltd (TNGCL).
The fire was discovered by the factory owners, Prangopal Saha and Sanjit Saha, who raised the alarm. Their cries for help prompted a quick response from workers in neighboring factories.
Tripura Fire Service and Emergency Services were on the scene shortly after, deploying 10 fire tenders from various stations. A fire service personnel reported, “We found gas leaking upon arrival. The fire, triggered by the gas leak, required significant effort to control. TNGCL officials managed to shut off the gas supply, and we eventually extinguished the fire after a prolonged struggle.”
In the wake of the incident, Nabadal Banik, Chairman of Tripura Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDC), Managing Director Vishwasree B, and other officials visited the site to assess the situation.
Chairman Nabadal Banik addressed the media, estimating the damage to be over Rs 50 lakh. “The fire devastated two units of puffed and flattened rice factories owned by Prangopal Saha and Sanjit Saha, who not only supplied rice within Tripura but also exported outside the state. The factories were reduced to ashes. Officials from Fire and Emergency Services and Tripura Police promptly responded and worked tirelessly to extinguish the fire. The loss is significant, but we assure the owners of full support as the units are insured. We are currently assessing the total damage, but preliminary estimates indicate losses exceeding Rs 50 lakh,” Banik stated.
