Karkala: A major fire broke out at the waste disposal unit at Kariyakallu in Karkala on Friday, destroying large quantities of old waste materials and recyclable machinery. No casualties were reported, but the loss is estimated to be worth several lakh rupees.
The blaze, which initially appeared to be minor, spread rapidly across the facility within a short span of time, prompting an extensive firefighting operation that continued for more than 10 hours.
Fire spreads rapidly across facility
According to preliminary information, the fire started at the waste disposal unit in Kariyakallu before quickly engulfing the entire premises.
Old waste materials and recyclable used machinery stored at the facility were completely gutted in the blaze.
The exact extent of the damage is yet to be officially assessed, but initial estimates indicate losses running into several lakh rupees.
Firefighters battle blaze for over 10 hours
Personnel from the Karkala Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information about the incident and launched firefighting operations.
The operation was led by Fire Station Officer Chandrashekhar, assisted by Hariprasad, driver Sridhar, and firefighters Rupesh, Mujambir, Ganesh, Dinesh, Bhimappa and Basavaraj Patil.
Firefighters continued battling the flames until late in the night, with the operation lasting for more than 10 hours.
Officials said the intensity of the fire and the continuous circulation of air through the heaps of waste made it difficult to completely extinguish the blaze, requiring sustained efforts from the firefighting team.
Cause of fire under investigation
Authorities said the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Officials from the local administration and the concerned departments visited the site to assess the situation and have begun an inspection.
A detailed investigation will be carried out to ascertain the cause of the fire and evaluate the extent of the damage.