A fire broke out near a biogas facility on the Akola–Patur road near Chandur village on Tuesday, sending thick plumes of smoke across nearby areas and triggering an emergency response.
The blaze reportedly originated in a section where dry sugarcane residue (bagasse) was stored at a unit operated by Thermax Bio Energy Solutions Private Limited. Due to the highly combustible nature of the material, the fire spread rapidly, causing concern among residents of surrounding villages.
Chief of the Akola Fire Department, Manish Katole, stated that the fire started in dry sugarcane waste adjacent to the plant. "The exact cause of the fire is not yet known. Our teams are currently focused on bringing the blaze under control, while efforts are also underway to ascertain the reason," he said.
He further clarified that, as of now, there are no reports of damage to the main gas plant due to the fire.
Thick smoke from the incident spread across nearby villages, causing breathing discomfort among residents. Fire tenders from the Akola Municipal Corporation were rushed to the site, and firefighting operations are still in progress. Police personnel have been deployed in the area to manage the crowd, while ambulances have been kept on standby as a precautionary measure.
Officials said a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out once the situation is fully under control.
