A massive fire broke out on Saturday at the Kodia paddy procurement centre under Nandini police station limits in Durg district, destroying hundreds of quintals of paddy stored in the open. The blaze erupted and quickly spread through stacked grain before firefighters managed to bring it under control after several hours of effort.
Fire Incident and Response
Five fire tenders were pressed into service as flames engulfed a large portion of the stored grain. Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, using multiple water tankers to prevent the fire from spreading further across the premises. Preliminary assessments indicate that more than 500 quintals of paddy may have been damaged. No casualties were reported.
Possible Cause
According to local residents, the fire may have originated from stubble burning in a nearby field and spread to the procurement centre. However, the exact cause will be established only after a detailed investigation.
Concerns Over Open Grain Storage
Every year, large quantities of procured paddy remain stacked in the open and are often exposed to rain and moisture before being transported. While weather-related damage has frequently been flagged by farmers and opposition parties, this incident highlights the threat of fire. Durg collector Abhijeet Singh visited the spot and directed officials to assess the extent of the loss and conduct a probe.
Prevention of Further Loss
Officials said timely intervention by the fire brigade helped prevent the flames from reaching adjoining stacks, averting what could have been a much larger loss. The incident has raised concerns over the safety of foodgrain stocks that are routinely stored in the open for extended periods.
