Eight people were injured in a fire at Ambe Steels’ steel bar manufacturing plant in Baksapur, Janaki Rural Municipality-5, Banke, on Sunday morning.

The fire broke out at around 5:40am after an electrical short circuit in three furnaces used to melt iron, police said. Each furnace has a capacity of 25 tonnes.

Five of the injured are from Banke district and three are from India's Bahraich district. They were initially taken to Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj for treatment.

Two fire engines from Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City and one from Kohalpur Municipality were deployed to control the blaze. The fire was completely extinguished at 8:15am with the support of Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and local residents.

The extent of property damage is yet to be ascertained.