INFERNO BREAKS OUT AT A PAPER MILL IN NORTHERN INDIA

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

DURATION: 2.00

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS BBC

Inferno breaks out at a paper mill in northern India.

A major fire breaks out at a paper factory in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh destroying materials worth millions.

SHOWS:

AGRA, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (APRIL 08, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4: 3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. SMOKE EMANATING FROM THE FACTORY

2. MEN TAKING CYLINDERS OUT OF THE FACTORY

3. FUMING FLAMES AT THE FACTORY

4. CLOUDS OF SMOKE EMANATING FROM FACTORY

5. FLAMES AT THE FACTORY

6. FIRE TENDERS DOUSING FIRE

7. FIRE FIGHTERS HOLDING WATER HOSE

8. FLAMES AT THE FACTORY

9. FIREMEN DOUSING THE INFERNO

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) A LOCAL RESIDENT, MANJEET AGGARWAL, SAYING:"I was sitting with my family and suddenly, we saw the fire and we rushed to the site to see it and saw a massive fire at the factory. It shows the negligence of the administration. Although people call Taj Mahal in our city as the seventh wonder of the universe, looking at this fire reflects the laxity in our civic administration."

11. A VIEW OF INDIAN HISTORIC MONUMENT AND WHITE MARBLE MAUSOLEUM TAJ MAHAL

12. LOCALS STANDING ON TERRACE TO WATCH THE FIRE

13. FIRE FIGHTERS DOUSING FIRE

14. FLAMES AT THE FACTORY

15. FIRE FIGHTERS HOLDING WATER HOSE

STORY: A major inferno at a paper mill in Agra, the city of Taj Mahal in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (April 08) destroyed property worth millions.

The incident took place around 4:30 pm (local time).

The fire spread quickly across the entire complex where heaps of paper was stored.

Slamming the local administration, a resident from the neighbourhood, Manjeet Aggarwal termed the mishap as a blotch on the city famous around the world for the monument of love, the Taj Mahal.

"I was sitting with my family and suddenly, we saw the fire and we rushed to the site to see it and saw a massive fire at the factory. It shows the negligence of the administration. Although people call Taj Mahal in our city as the seventh wonder of the universe, looking at this fire reflects the laxity in our civic administration," said Manjeet Aggarwal.

No causalities have been reported so far.

Personnel of the Agra Fire Brigade with their water tenders made desperate efforts to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby places.

There was utter chaos as efforts were made to ensure those living nearby the paper mill were evacuated to safer places.

A short circuit is believed to be the reason behind the fire.

Fire safety regulations are lax, rarely implemented and not periodically reviewed in most industries across India, which results in the breaking of major fire, resulting in the loss of life and material.