Close shave for firefighters as factory roof collapses mid-operation in Ludhiana
Firefighters were battling a blaze at a factory at Industrial Complex, Hambran
Firefighters trying to douse flames at a local textile factory had a close shave on Tuesday as a portion of the roof collapsed during the operation in Hambran village.
The incident occurred while firefighters were battling the blaze at Ambika International Limited, located in the Industrial Complex at Hambran.
As the factory stored a large quantity of yarn and garments, the flames spread rapidly, making the firefighting operation difficult.
Fire brigades from Ludhiana, Mullanpur, Jagraon and Moga were pressed into service to control the blaze. Officials said more than 100 fire tender trips were made during the operation that continued for almost the entire day before the fire was brought under control.
According to the Fire Department, the factory management initially tried to contain the fire with portable fire extinguishers, but alerted the authorities after they failed.
By the time fire tenders reached the spot, a major portion of the unit had already been engulfed in flames.
Dinesh Kumar, sub fire officer, said the factory was spread across nearly eight acres, making the operation challenging. Around three-fourth of the premises consisted of shed structures.
He said that after several hours of the operation, officers inspected the structure and noticed signs that the damaged building had become unstable. Firefighters working inside the premises were immediately instructed to move out and stay away from the walls.
“A loud blast was heard and the roof collapsed within a minute of the firefighters coming out. Fortunately, everyone had already been evacuated from that section,” Kumar added.
He said that the temporary shed structures and parts of the permanent building were damaged in the fire.
The officer pointed out that firefighting operations were affected by inadequate safety arrangements at the factory. Fire tenders had to be refilled from nearby industrial units, which increased the time taken to tackle the blaze.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Officials said the loss to property would be assessed after a detailed inspection and the incident would also be examined to determine whether adequate fire safety norms had been followed at the unit.
