A fire broke out at a biscuit factory in the Malanpur industrial area of Bhind district, Madhya Pradesh, early on Sunday morning, resulting in the death of one worker, an official confirmed. The blaze, which may have been caused by a short circuit, started around 5:30 AM in the Krackjack biscuit unit of Vikram Arya Food Products, located about 60 km from Bhind.
At the time of the fire, approximately 80 workers were on the night shift. One worker tragically died from asphyxiation due to the smoke. The fire was brought under control by 2 PM, after raging for more than eight hours. A total of 11 fire tenders, including one from the Indian Air Force, were involved in extinguishing the fire, which engulfed a 100-meter area. Around 90% of the fire was put out by officials.
Gohad Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Parag Jain reported that the building and machinery of the biscuit-making unit were severely damaged. He also suggested that the oil used in the biscuit-making process may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. While the exact damage to the machinery and other property is yet to be determined, early reports suggest the losses could exceed Rs 30 crore. In the aftermath of the fire, efforts were made to isolate the affected biscuit packets to prevent further risk. The factory, which manufactures Krackjack biscuits for Parle, is still assessing the full extent of the damage.