Fire at Apollo Tyres, none injured

KOCHI: A major fire broke out at the production unit of Apollo Tyres Kalamassery unit here Sunday night but no one was injured, police said. The blaze on the first floor of the unit, which was noticed at around 1030 pm during the shift change, was brought under control after over one-and-a-half hours, police said. Machinery and rubber have been destroyed, sources said.

At least six fire tenders were engaged to bring the blaze under control. The unit, which was originally Premier Tyres, was acquired by Apollo in 1995 and manufactures most of the tyres Apollo exports.

The company has another plant in Kerala at Perambra in Thrissur. During his visit here last month for the AGM, Apollo Tyres Chairman Onkar S Kanwar told reporters they had plans to invest Rs 300 crore in the Kalamassery unit in the next two years to make it an export unit for Industrial tyres for exporting to Europe, South America and North America.

Apollo Tyres Ltd manufactures tyres and tubes for two-wheelers, cars, trucks and tractors.