In a report submitted to Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep, S. Rajashekar, an environmental engineer who has done his M.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Mysuru has said that biomass accumulation under the sand was the cause of fire. “Biomass dumps from nearby units that convert coconut shell into charcoal could have caused the accident,” he said.

“The affected area is only around 20 ft by 20 ft out of 4-acre plot and the area has deposits of biomass. There is a presence of carbon in the form of charcoal or bio-char which is a type of a bio-fuel. This is a low-lying area and as rainwater flows, it carries fine sand and other materials. Also there is a sewage dump that adds to the bio-mass,” he stated in his report.