A fire completely gutted a waste treatment plant near Thamarassery in Kozhikode on Thursday. The blaze happened at MRM Eco Solutions Private Limited, which primarily processes plastic and cloth waste. The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Thursday, destroyed a three-storey building, a pickup truck, and a significant amount of stored waste at the facility.

"We were alerted at around 3.30 am. The employees, who live nearby, spotted the blaze first. Five fire units were dispatched to the site – two each from Vellimadukunnu and Mukkam, and one from Narikkuni – to control the situation," said Abdul Gafoor, the fire station officer from Mukkam. "Our first priority was to extinguish the flames using water, followed by removing the waste in stages with the help of two earth movers."

The fire was brought under control soon, but it took until 9.30 am to completely douse the blaze due to the large volume of waste involved. "A major concern was preventing the fire from spreading to nearby residential areas and employee apartments," he added.

The official also outlined two possible causes of the fire. "We found remnants of firecrackers near the facility, likely from nearby New Year celebrations. It's possible that a firecracker ignited the blaze. Alternatively, a short circuit within the plant could also be to blame. A thorough investigation, including a review of CCTV footage, is required to determine the exact cause," he explained. "We're relieved that no one was hurt," Gafoor added.