Major fire in scrap godown, no casualty

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 22

A major fire broke out at a scrap godown in the Peeru Banda area in Salem Tabri here this afternoon, reducing a two-storeyed godown that had stocked scrap goods etc to ashes. However, no loss of life was reported in the incident.

Godown walls develop cracks

• Since the godown was situated in a residential area, the incident caused panic among people living there. As a precautionary measure, the police told the residents living in the vicinity to vacate their houses as walls of the godown had developed huge cracks. Several houses near the godown were got vacated to save lives if the building gave way.
• Over a dozen fire tenders had reached the spot to douse the flames. The fire was put out at 3 pm after three hours of struggle, Thirtytwo fire tenders were used to control the fire.

After getting information about the fire, senior police officials, including the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Pardeep Sabharwal, reached the spot and inspected the rescue operation.

Since the godown was situated in a residential area, the incident caused panic among people living there. As a precautionary measure, the police told the residents living in the vicinity to vacate their houses as walls of the godown had developed huge cracks. Several houses near the godown were got vacated to save lives if the building gave way.

Near the godown, many scrap shops are located, but the fire did not spread there as it was controlled by the firemen.

Over a dozen fire tenders had reached the spot to douse the flames. The fire was put out at 3 pm after three hours of struggle, Thirtytwo fire tenders were used to control the fire.

As per the owner of the scrap godown, a machine on the first floor which compressed scrap had caused a sudden spark when employees were working there. Soon, fire spread in the scrap consisting of wires, cardboards, car filters, and electronic scrap.

Workers saved their lives by going out of the godown and raising an alarm.

Fire officials said the owner had no fire safety arrangements, hence the fire could not be controlled at the initial stage.

Aatish Rai, sub-fire officer, said the fire was controlled by the firemen in three hours and they did not allow it to spread in the residential area.