Fire breaks out at chemical store in Kharar

Tribune News Service

Mohali, November 17

The horrors of the Kurali chemical factory fire revisited the region today as a chemical storehouse caught fire at Jandpur village in Kharar in the afternoon. More than 20 drums containing chemical exploded one after the other. The flames rising a couple of metres above the roof of the building had been witnessed for about four hours. It took 15 fire engines to bring the fire under control in an annexe-shop of a house. Panic spread in the area as explosions rocked the village. Residents gathered at the spot and vainly tried to control the fire. Youths sprayed buckets of water on the straw kept in the adjoining shed as smoke started to rise after the partition wall got heated up.

Kharar fire officer Kaur Singh said, “A distress call was received at 2 pm after which three fire engines from Kharar and Mohali rushed to the spot. It took about 4 hours to control the fire. There were around 20 drums of chemical in the store of a house. The house owner has rented out the store which was being used for storing chemical. The roof and the structure has been damaged. Fortunately, no one was injured. The tenant is missing since the fire broke out.”

Neighbours said the store was rented out a month ago. “We had complained to the house owner of pungent smell but he did not pay heed,” they said.

Kharar DSP Karanvir Sandhu said, “The police are ascertaining the antecedents of the house owner and the tenant. We will probe the incident and take necessary action against culprit after investigation. No one has been injured in the incident.”

Look out circular proceedings begin against Kurali factory owner

The police have started look out circular (LOC) proceedings against Kurali chemical factory owner Gurinder Chawla as he has evaded arrest for more than a month and a half. Kurali City SHO Gagandeep Singh said Chawla had absconded since the fire broke out at the factory. On September 27, two women employees, Chandni Devi and Manju, reportedly died and around eight persons were injured in a massive fire at Shemrock Organics Private Limited in Focal Point, Chanalon, Kurali. Police have received the forensic report in the incident and a magisterial probe is underway by Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Viraj S Tidke.

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