Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

Electrical short circuit caused the mishap: panel

— Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar.

Guntur SP Mahesh Chandra Laddha on top of an electrical pole from where the sparks are supposed to have emanated.

GUNTUR: The high-power committee probing the fire accident at the chilli yard on Tuesday visited the yard premises and recorded the version of owners of private godowns.

The committee led by State Marketing Commissioner Sukumara and comprising District Collector B. Venkatesham, S.P Mahesh Chandra Laddha, Marketing Department Joint Director Nishar Ahmed and Agricultural Market Committee Chairman Lella Appi Reddy went round the premises and interacted with several eye-witnesses and some of the private godown owners who were also affected by Saturday’s fire.

Kotturu Raamkoteswara Rao, a private godown owner said that his stocks in his godown were full. In view of short supply of quality chilli, traders have hoarded a large quantity of chilli at various private godowns adjoining the market yard premises. As many as 22 godowns, including eight powder mills have been completely damaged due to the fire. The members inspected the damaged machinery to assess and quantify the loss.

``More than 40,000 bags stored in the godowns have completely burnt. We have lost Rs.5 crores due to the structural damage caused by the fire. Unfortunately, most of the godown owners have not insured their buildings and we have requested the committee to consider payment of compensation for structural loss and crop loss,” Chilli Traders Association treasurer K. Sudhakar said.

Meanwhile, the police have almost completed investigations into the causes of the fire. Senior officials have confirmed it was an electrical short circuit triggered by snapping of two high power cables opposite the Yadlapati Venkat Rao rest house that caused the fire. The sparks fell on a heap of guuny bags containing dried chilli and quickly spread due to the wind.

The efforts of a handful of workers and farmers to contain the fire using buckets of water were futile. Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Laddha had a detailed inspection of the premises. He reached the top of the electrical pole from which sparks were believed to have emanated and fallen on a heap of dried chilli bags. He also inspected the water tank on the yard premises. He spoke to some of the eye-witnesses, watchman Srinu, Bujji of Ganesh Trading Corporation, Subba Reddy of Sivaramakrishna Enterprises and Ganesh of Vijayasri Traders.

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