Fire at railway yard, goods reduced to ashes

A massive fire broke out in Bashirpura here on Thursday afternoon, causing widespread panic among locals after flames from a garbage heap spread to a nearby railway yard, completely destroying the items stored inside.

According to witnesses, the fire spread quickly as overhead wires caught fire, causing a thick blanket of smoke that could be seen from Maqsudan and PAP — nearly two km away. The blaze triggered alarm in the locality, prompting immediate calls to the Fire Department.

Responding swiftly, multiple fire brigade teams arrived at the scene, with around five or six fire tenders deploying to bring the situation under control. The railway police and commissionerate police officers also reached the scene to normalise the situation and ensure fire brigade officers carry out their job without any hindrance. After hours of strenuous efforts, firefighters managed to douse the flames and prevent further spread.

Naresh Kumar, a department official, said they received the alert around 1pm. “By the time we arrived, the fire had already engulfed a large part of the railway goods warehouse. The smoke was so intense it was visible from several kilometre away,” he said.

Preliminary information suggests that the fire originated from a garbage heap situated just outside the warehouse. The flames then spread inside, igniting stored goods and reducing them to ashes. No injuries have been reported, officials said, adding that the officials concerned are assessing the extent of damage and investigating the exact cause of the fire.