Kolkata, Nov 20 (PTI) A fire broke out at a jute mill in West Bengal’s Howrah district on Monday morning, officials said.

Two fire tenders were pressed into service to put off the flames, first spotted around 4.50 am, they said.

There was no immediate report of casualty or anyone being trapped inside the mill that is located on the Foreshore road, the fire brigade officials said.

The blaze has been brought under control, they said.

Security personnel of the jute mill and local people, who participated in a procession for the Chhath festival, spotted the flames and informed the Shibpur Police Station.

'The blaze damaged 20-30 tonnes of raw jute. We are investigating the cause of the fire,' said Raghvendra Gupta, promoter of the Vijai Shri Jute Mill where the fire broke out.

The fire was believed to have been triggered by a short circuit in the unit, the officials said.

Gupta, who is also the chairman of the Indian Jute Mills Association, said the management was trying to ascertain whether the fire was due to a short circuit or whether it was triggered by the bursting of firecrackers.

The jute mill has a 65-tonne manufacturing capacity and employs around 1,500 workers. PTI JRC BSM BDC