A massive fire that broke out at a rubber factory in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Tuesday evening, started from a truck laden with rubber sheets, police said on Wednesday. It took more than 16 hours and 65 fire tenders to douse one of the biggest fire witnessed by the national Capital so far in the season, they added.
For the first time in the history of the city, a fire was controled with the help of the Indian Air Force. Three IAF choppers carrying bambi buckets were used to douse the blaze which led to a difficult times for the residents. Since the fire broke out in a residential area, police cordoned off the area, asking residents to close down their windows.
Police said the truck with Punjab number plate, from which the fire started, was loaded with rubber sheets and parked inside a godown in the Khirki Extension area. Senior police officers said that they have arrested the owner of the godown, Sanjay Saini.
Fire officers said although no casualty was reported but the Chief Fire Officer of the Delhi fire services, Atul Garg, fell unconscious during the firefighting operations. Fire officers said fire was of the “highest magnitude” this season. Plastic and raw material stored at the factory fuelled the fire. Aam Aadmi Party legislator Somnath Bharti also visited the spot.
The fire started when a truck caught fire at 5 pm on Tuesday, following which the blaze eventually spread inside the godown of a private company, which is in the business of providing rubber raw material for re-threading of vehicle tyres.
Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South district said, “ Apart from police and fire department, teams from DDMA, Air Force and civil defence were being engaged in the relief and rescue operations. The helicopter buckets of Indian Air Force made three sorties to extinguish fire. Five fire tenders with dry chemical power foam were also engaged in the operation. The Sant Nirankari School, a gym, and 13 buildings near the godown, have been evacuated for safety reasons.”
Police said that medical teams at Max Saket, Rainbow Child Speciality hospital, Safdarjung hospital, and AIIMS have been alerted to attend to any injured, he added. However, no one has been injured so far.
A senior Delhi Fire Service Official said that despite the overnight operation, fire continued to rage at the eastern corner of the godown on Wednesday. Teams of fire department claimed they could extinguish it only after the raw materials burnt completely.
The DCP said, “On enquiry it was found that a truck No. PB08CX2955 was loaded with rubber compounds at godown situated at Khirki Extension, Malviya Nagar had caught fire. Till early Wednesday morning, fire existed at eastern corner of the godown of the company Maxwell pvt. ltd. at Khirki extension at malviya nagar. They are into business of providing rubber raw material for rethredding of vehicle tyre.
He further said that rubber compounds stored in metallic or plastic boxes caught fire. “Moderate winds caused the fire to further spread.
So far 65 fire tenders reached the spot. By 2pm on Wednesday, fire was completely doused. A case under section 285 and 336 of the IPC has been registered at the Malviya Nagar police station. Services of helicopter bucket from air force are being taken to extinguish fire. so far 3 sorties have been made,” said Baaniya.
