Major fire at chemical factory

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 7

A major fire broke out at Parkash Chemicals in Durga Colony, Phase V, Focal Point, today. The firemen struggled hard to douse the flames as chemical containers kept exploding. More than a dozen workers were reportedly working inside the unit when the fire broke out.

Station Fire Officer SN Sharma said it was around 5 pm when an oil tanker carrying inflammable lubricants, which was about to leave the factory, caught fire following sparking. The tanker driver was lucky to jump off in time. 

Soon, the flames spread to the chemical drums stored in the factory. More than six two-wheelers were destroyed in the fire. 

The fire officials said there were more than 100 drums of chemical lying inside the unit. Water sprinkled on the flames was actually stoking the fire which forced the firemen to stop their operation for over an hour. 

No factory owner guides firemen

Fire officials alleged that no factory owner came to tell the firemen about the location of chemical drums in the factory. “We could not enter the factory as blasts were occurring one after another,” they said.

Tanker driver averts major explosion

The moment the tanker driver saw flames in the lubricant tanker, he opened the lids which prevented the tanker from exploding. His action saved the lives of workers busy working inside the factory at that time. 

Two adjoining factories also gutted

Two adjoining factories also caught fire when exploding chemical drums fell on them. In one factory, Dashmesh Bags, schoolbags were manufactured. The other unit was a cardboard factory. According to sources, their loss could be in several lakhs.