A plastic recycling unit was gutted in a blaze in Malda on Friday. The fire also partially damaged some other similar units in the locality.

No injury or casualty, however, has been reported so far.

Sources said the fire erupted at the units in Sujapur, a locality under Kaliachak police station in the morning. Residents, who spotted dense coils of smoke emanating out of the unit, informed police and firemen.

Three engines rushed to the spot. It took around three hours for the firemen to douse the flames.

“The unit was gutted in the fire. Some neighbouring units also got partly affected,” said resident Md Hamidur Rahaman.

Fire officials said they suspected an electrical short circuit as the reason for the blaze.

“We are conducting an inquiry,” said one of them.

In Sujapur, there are around 100 such plastic processing units on both sides of NH12. These units recycle scrap plastic items and make mounds. Those are then sent to plastic factories.

Many allege that most of these units do not have proper documents or fire safety provisions.

In 2020, a blast occurred in one such unit that killed five and injured 10 others.

Officials of the district administration said they had taken the initiative to relocate these units to a common area.

“It has been decided to set up a common facility centre for plastic units of Sujapur. At the CFC, all units have to adhere to safety norms,” said Nitin Singhania, Malda district magistrate.

The state government, he said, sanctioned Rs 4 crore for the CFC.