Gujarat: Hitachi unit at Kadi closed after fire

Ahmedabad: Consumer durable firm Hitachi Home & Life Solutions on Thursday said its unit no 2 at Kadi plant in Gujarat, manufacturing air conditioners, has become inoperational after a major fire broke out there on Wednesday night.

"The unit 2 has been gutted in fire and is in-operable now," Hitachi's Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Amit Doshi said.

No human casualty has been reported, he said. "Last night there was a major fire at unit no 2 at Kadi plant, Gujarat due to which it has become non-operational," the company said. Adequate insurance of the plant has been made, the company added.

The unit 2 has been gutted in fire and is in-operable now, Hitachi\'s Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Amit Doshi said.

Meanwhile, the unit no 1 at Kadi plant and the company's Jammu plant are 'operational'. According to state fire officials, 22 fire fighting vehicles were rushed to the spot including 11 from Ahmedabad, which battled for around 10 hours to douse the fire. Gujarat State Disaster Management's (GSDMA's) help was sought to mobilise fire fighting vehicles from nearby areas like Kalol, Gandhinagar, Mehsana.

Two fire fighters and a water tanker of ONGC were also called for help, a fire official said.

"The time has come to think about review of industrial sites in rural areas of Gujarat," Ahmedabad's Deputy Fire Officer Rajesh Bhatt said.

"The fire at industrial site in Kadi has brought to fore the requirement for having on the spot water refilling resources as per the requirements of fire fighting vehicles," he said.

The major problem in controlling the fire at Kadi was vehicles had to be sent for refilling to other locations, and by the time they arrived back the cooling done had again turned into blaze, he said.

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