Fire breaks out at plastic factory in Thane district; none hurt

Thane, Oct 13 (PTI) A fire broke out at a plastic products manufacturing unit in an industrial area in Maharashtra's Thane district on Monday morning, officials said.

There were no reports of casualties in the blaze that erupted at a factory in Asangaon in the Shahapur taluka around 10 am, they said.

"Teams from multiple fire stations immediately rushed to the spot, and operations are still underway," said Vasant Chowdhari, chief of the disaster management cell.

Four fire engines along with 10 water tankers were deployed at the scene, he said.

"The fire is taking time to be completely extinguished due to the presence of large quantities of plastic materials that tend to burn slowly and emit thick smoke and a foul smell," the official said.

He said the cause of the blaze is yet to be determined, and officials are investigating whether a short circuit or overheating of machinery could have been the trigger.

Local police and disaster management teams cordoned off the area as a precautionary measure, and workers and residents in the vicinity were evacuated. PTI COR ARU