A major fire broke out at a plastic recycling factory in the Chattanchal Industrial Estate near Kasaragod, Kerala, early on Friday, destroying the factory’s storage facility.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Kasaragod, Kuttikol, and Kanhangad brought the blaze under control. No injuries were reported as no workers were present at the site when the fire occurred.

The fire was reported around 5 a.m. at the factory where plastic waste is sorted for the production of plastic granules. As the factory stores large quantities of plastic, thick smoke engulfed the surrounding area after the blaze broke out.

A GAIL natural gas pipeline runs beneath the factory premises at a depth of about two metres. After the fire was extinguished, officials inspected the area above the underground pipeline and confirmed that it had not been affected by the blaze.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Authorities are continuing their assessment of the incident.