Fire breaks out at Bhagtanwala dump in Amritsar

A major fire broke out at the Bhagtanwala garbage dump late last night, triggering worries among residents of the nearby areas as thick, toxic smoke spread across their surroundings. The fire, which had reportedly been smouldering for the past two days, intensified during the night before fire fighters rushed to the spot to control the blaze.

According to officials, teams of the Municipal Corporation and the fire brigade battled fire for nearly five hours before it was brought under control. Senior civic body officials reached the site and supervised the firefighting operation.

Officials said the dump had been catching fire intermittently over the past two days. However, the situation worsened last night when the flames spread rapidly across the dumping site. As the fire intensified, thick toxic smoke engulfed the surrounding areas, causing severe discomfort to residents living nearby.

Residents alleged that initial signs of the fire were not taken seriously by the company managing the dump or by the civic authorities, allowing the flames to spread further. It was only after the blaze intensified and smoke began affecting nearby localities that the Municipal Corporation swung into action and deployed fire tenders at the site.

Sandeep Sharma, an activist of Sanji Sangharsh committee, said fires at the Bhagtanwala dump had become a recurring problem, especially with the onset of the summer season. The Municipal Corporation staff claimed that methane gas in waste piles often triggered spontaneous combustion.

Earlier, a fire brigade vehicle used to remain permanently stationed at the dump site to immediately respond to such incidents. However, the absence of a permanently deployed fire tender this year is believed to have contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze before it was finally brought under control.