Fire Dept found wanting

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Nabha, November 23

The inefficiency of the Fire Department came to the fore as it took several hours for its staff to douse the fire that broke out in a cardboard factory located at Focal Point Industrial Area in the town today morning.

According to information, the incident occurred after the paddy residue bales kept in the open area in the factory caught fire at about 9.15 am. Workers immediately informed the factory owner, Ram Krishan Gupta, who then informed the Fire Department.

Gupta said the first fire tender reached the spot at 9.45 am, which emptied within 10 minutes. 

He said the fire tender driver went back on a motorcycle and brought another fire tender. However, it was also not sufficient to douse the flames.

Meanwhile, MC officials had also pressed into service a water tanker to douse the fire. However, it took several hours to douse the flames.

The factory owner suffered a loss of about Rs 5 lakh with which he had purchased the paddy residue bales to manufacture cardboards. 

The Fire Department is yet to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and the police were investigating the case.

It is pertinent to mention here that The Tribune had highlighted the shortage of permanent staff, including the fire officer in the department. Additional charge of the fire station officer has been given to the fire officer posted at Khanna in Ludhiana district.