A three-storey plastic recycling unit was gutted in a major fire outbreak at Thamarassery in Kozhikode district of Kerala early on Thursday. It took around three hours to douse the flames by a team of fire tenders from various rural stations.

Though the factory had over 80 labourers, only a few were on duty on the New Year eve. Factory sources said no one sustained injuries in the incident. A pickup van was also destroyed in the incident.

Some labourers at the factory alleged that “reckless” burning of firecrackers near the factory by the local people might have caused the inferno. They said the fire broke out from the building around 12.30 a.m.

Fire and Rescue Services officials said they were yet to ascertain the cause of the blaze.

They said a field inspection would be carried out soon with the support of experts from the Electrical Inspectorate.