Agra shoe factory gutted

A leading shoe exporting factory here was gutted in a major fire overnight, leaving seven fire fighters and a police officer injured, officials said Sunday.

The fire in the Metro unit spread rapidly Saturday night due to diesel and chemicals stored in the basement, forcing the authorities to take help from army fire fighting units too, an official said.

The fire in the unit, located near the Agra Mental Hospital, was put out early Sunday, Senior Superintendent of Police Shalabh Mathur said.

Police said seven members of the fire fighting unit of the 509 army base workshop and a police officer suffered burn injuries.

The fire also engulfed a part of a neighbouring shoe unit but that was controlled.

This is the fifth major fire in shoe factories this year in Agra, a major leather shoe manufacturing hub, exporting quality shoes to most European countries.