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Hyderabad: A major fire on Saturday destroyed Asia's largest red chilli market in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur town, about 300km from here.
Clouds of acrid smoke enveloped neighbourhoods over a kilometre downwind.
The firefighting personnel were still battling to control the blaze which broke out around 10am destroying hundreds of shops and thousands of bags of chilli, police said.
The fire, which erupted in one of the shops, engulfed the entire market yard, destroying 450 shops of commission agents and over 300,000 bags of chilli, each containing around 40kg.
With a strong wind blowing, the flames spread fast over the 56-acre market yard, forcing people in nearby residential areas to move to safer places.
Even after four hours of effort, 10 fire engines failed to control the flames, which continued to rage when reports last came in.
The district officials wanted to press a helicopter into service but fire service officials ruled this out as clouds of acrid chilli smoke spread over one kilometre downwind.
The acrid smoke made the firefighting more difficult. Some traders were seen trying to retrieve whatever they could before the flames gripped the entire yard.
The authorities pressed private water tankers into service and called more fire engines from neighbouring Vijayawada city and Prakasam district.
Market yard officials estimated the loss at Rs2 billion. One of them told a television channel that the fire engines did not reach on time, allowing the flames to spread.
Minister for Transport K. Lakshminarayana rushed to the scene to supervise relief and rescue operations. State Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who is in New Delhi, has directed district collectors of Krishna and Prakasam districts to reach the market yard.
Inquiry
According to official sources, the chief minister has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Minister for Marketing M. Marappa said while the loss on account of destroyed chilli was estimated to be Rs300 million, property worth Rs400 million was also gutted. A bank and 200 huts were among the structures destroyed in the fire.
Guntur District Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Laddha quoted witnesses as saying that smoking led to the disaster.
He, however, said the actual cause would be known only after investigations.
Chilli farmers from different parts of the state and even neighbouring states bring their produce to the Guntur market, which also serves as an export hub.
Guntur, a commercial hub, is famous for production of some of the best varieties of chilli in the world. Andhra Pradesh, the largest chilli growing state in India, accounts for 46 per cent of the country's production.
Spices produced in Prakasam, Krishna, Khammam and Warangal districts are also brought to Guntur for trading.
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