Furniture factory gutted at Industrial Area, Phase II, Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 2

A furniture factory was gutted in a major fire at Industrial Area, Phase II, here today.

The factory, Shyamji Trading Company, is owned by Subhash Mittal, brother of devotional singer Kanhiya Mittal. An adjoining unit, Ind-Swift, a medicine factory, also caught fire and suffered damage.

Fire officials said the cause of fire could not be ascertained and they had started investigation to find it out. Total estimated loss is yet to be assessed by the fire officials.

According to the officials, they got a fire call around 8 am. Following the call, fire teams were rushed to the spot. “Five or six fire vehicles, which did several rounds of the spot, were pressed into service. The fire engines made around 50 rounds refilling tanks during the firefighting operations,” said a fire official at the spot. To control the fire, they also used 10-12 drums of foam.

Iron as well as wooden furniture, along with material such as sheets and clothes, were destroyed in the fire. The entire ground floor of the factory, which had a temporary shed on the first floor, was gutted. Since the factory was situated in a congested area, the firemen had a tough time dousing the flames.

Industrialists seek provisional NOC

We request the authorities to give a provisional NOC to industries as an emergency measure so that they can buy necessary firefighting equipment. We don’t get the NOC easily, as the policies are not business-friendly. In the absence of the same, owners not only suffer losses but are also booked in case of fire. — MPS Chawla, President, Chandigarh Industrial Association

The fire was controlled by 12:30 pm, but smoke kept emanating from the debris. The firefighting operations continued till 6:30 pm. “There was a chemical factory behind the unit where the fire broke out. Our teams kept their focus on not letting the fire spread to that unit,” said a fire official.

The president, Chandigarh Industrial Association, MPS Chawla, said, “We request the authorities to give a provisional NOC to industries as an emergency measure so that they can buy necessary firefighting equipment. We don’t get the NOC easily, as the policies are not business-friendly. In the absence of the same, owners not only suffer losses but are also booked in case of fire.”

Owner brother of devotional singer

• Officials got a fire call around 8 am.
• Around six fire engines were pressed into service.
• Vehicles made nearly 50 rounds refilling tanks during the firefighting operations
• The fire was controlled by 12:30 pm
• As smoke kept emanating from the debris, the firefighting operations continued till 6:30 pm.
• Shyamji Trading Company is owned by Subhash Mittal, brother of devotional singer Kanhiya Mittal
• Fire spread to an adjoining unit, Ind-Swift, a medicine factory, which also suffered damage
• Fire officials said the cause of fire could not be ascertained and they had started investigation
• Total estimated loss is yet to be assessed by the fire officials.

Past incidents

September 17 About eight cars were burnt in a major fire that broke out at a Toyota showroom in Industrial Area, Phase I, in the evening

July 24 Two girls died of asphyxiation and three were injured after a fire broke in the basement of an electrical parts manufacturing unit in Industrial Area, Phase II

October 27, 2022 A massive fire broke out at a liquor factory in Industrial Area, Phase I, gutting all three floors of the building