In a devastating incident on Sunday morning, two industrial units — Nav Packers and Prem Foils — located in Baddi industrial belt, were engulfed in flames. The fire, which erupted around 8 am, prompted a swift response from the firefighting brigade. No one was hurt as fire erupted in the morning when no work was underway.

Lead fireman Bheem Singh reported that upon receiving the distress call, two fire tenders were dispatched to the scene. However, upon arrival, it was discovered that not one, but two units were ablaze. The fire quickly spread to an adjacent pharmaceutical manufacturing unit, Pharminox Laboratories, exacerbated by the lack of sufficient space between the buildings.

The affected units, situated on plot numbers 10, 11, and 12 of the HP State Industrial Development Corporation in Baddi, suffered extensive damage as the flames ravaged through them. The intensity of the fire was compounded by the presence of highly inflammable fibre sheets used to cover the vacant spaces around the factory buildings.

Despite the valiant efforts of the firefighting team, the inferno raged on for several hours, resulting in significant losses amounting to several lakhs. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, as the fire broke out during a time when no work was in progress.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined, and investigations are underway to ascertain the exact circumstances leading to the blaze. Meanwhile, authorities have urged the industrial units to adhere to stringent safety protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.