Fire breaks out in shoe factory

Sumeer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 23

A fire broke out following a short circuit in a shoe-manufacturing unit at the Industrial Growth Centre on Tuesday morning.

Machinery and finished as well as raw goods worth crores were reduced to ashes, though no loss of life was reported. As many as 12 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames.

The factory owner said the fire-brigade vehicles reached the spot an hour after being informed, a claim which was refuted by the latter.

Deputy Commissioner Praneet, MLA Saroop Chand Singla and Mayor Balwant Rai Nath reached the spot to take stock of the situation and assured necessary assistance.

Apart from machinery and goods, the entire building was burnt and owing to excessive heat, the tin roof of the building came off.

As many as 150 workers are employed at the factory that manufactures casual, winter and sports shoes.

No causality was reported as the shift was to start at 9 am and when the fire broke out, only a guard was there in the factory.

As many as six fire tenders (four large and two small) of the Municipal Corporation of Bathinda, one fire tender each from the NFL (National Fertilizers Limited), GNTDP, HPCL Bathinda refinery, Gidderbaha and Rampura were pressed into service.

Talking to Bathinda Tribune, Birbal Goyal, owner of the factory, said, “After noticing the smoke, the guard went inside to find out a major fire has broken out in the factory. He informed us over the phone at 6:45 am and we immediately informed the Fire Department. But for an hour, nobody reached the factory to douse fire as a result a major part of the factory was burnt. Only two fire tenders arrived at the spot initially. As the fire had spread in the entire building, they were unable to control it. Later, around a dozen fire tenders started dousing flames but by that time the damage was already done.”

Goyal rued that he reached from Maur Mandi, covering a distance of 40 km but no one was there at the factory to put out the fire.

“I started the factory last year by investing crores but everything has turned into ashes now. We pay taxes and generate revenue for the government so that they must assist us by providing compensation in these testing times,” added Goyal.

Gurinder Singh, sub-fire officer, said, “These allegations are baseless that we reached late. After being informed, we immediately reached the spot and started our work.”

While interacting with industrialists, the Deputy Commissioner said one fire tender would be stationed near ITI Chowk so that emergency fire situations can be dealt with effectively.

He also formed a team consisting representatives from all industrial centres in the district to ensure that checking of fire safety measures can be done so that possible steps can be taken in future to avert such incidents.

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said, “We will conduct a departmental inquiry and if fire tenders reached late at the spot then we will take necessary action against the responsible person.”