Hyderabad, May 4: The fire that devastated the chilli market yard in Guntur on Saturday has forced the Andhra Pradesh Government to review fire safety arrangements at market yards across the state. Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy announced a probe into the incident by Marketing Commissioner A Sukumara. After Sukumara submits his report, the CM would constitute a group of ministers (GoM) to suggest measures to modernise the market yards and the safety arrangements required, so that such incidents could be prevented. Sukumara, who visited the gutted market on Sunday, is expected to submit a report on May 7.

One of the country’s biggest chilli markets was totally gutted on Saturday. Chilli worth Rs 20 crore, packed and ready for sale, was destroyed. Some shops and vehicles were destroyed too. The market yard, like most market yards in the state, had no fire safety arrangements and even rudimentary fire fighting mechanisms were absent.

About Rs 15 crore worth of the destroyed chilli was insured. Guntur district collector B Vekatesham said the fire was caused by a short circuit after a high tension electricity pole was knocked down by a truck loaded with chillies.

“Being inflammable, the dry chillies immediately caught fire and heavy winds fanned it around. Due to the pungent smell and smoke that caused burning sensation in eyes no one was able to prevent it from spreading. The fire officers were unable to control it for some time due to the same reason. Almost the entire stock of chillies that was kept packed and ready to sell was destroyed,” Venkatesham said.

After Sukumara submits his report, the CM is likely to announce compensation for the farmers who lost their stock in the fire. However, no one was injured in the incident.

The chilli market in Guntur does a business of Rs 1,000 to 1,500 crore per annum and there were three lakh bags of dry red chilli in the market when it went up in flames.

Venkatesham said 90 per cent of the market is made up of temporary kiosks that caught fire along with the chilli stocks. Fire officers who came from neighbouring districts brought the fire under control after almost 10 hours.

Guntur Market Yard Chairman Appa Reddy said though 80 per cent of the destroyed stock was insured it was a big blow for farmers.