Ahmedabad, Jun 2 (PTI) A portion of Deepak Nitrite's chemical manufacturing facility in Nandesari industrial area on the outskirts of Vadodara city in Gujarat was engulfed by a major fire on Thursday evening, said officials.

Also Read | DU Admission Row: St Stephen’s College Challenges Withdrawal of Its Prospectus in Delhi High Court.

Seven workers have been hospitalised after inhaling smoke, while some 700 people living in the vicinity of the factory have been shifted to safer places, officials said.

Also Read | Karnataka Jamia Masjid Row: Section 144 Imposed in Mandya From June 3-5 Over VHP's Call for Protest.

"Efforts are on to douse the massive fire, in which no injury has been reported. Seven workers who had inhaled the smoke were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. As a precaution, nearly 700 people living in the rural areas adjoining the factory have been shifted to safer places," Vadodara Collector RB Barad said.

A Vadodara fire brigade official said a powerful explosion also occurred when the fire started spreading in the factory during the evening, adding that 10 fire tenders are at the spot to douse the blaze.

The district collector said the cause of the fire was not known as yet.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)