A significant industrial fire erupted on Wednesday evening at a cattle feed manufacturing facility in Ludhiana, causing extensive damage to the plant. The incident, which sent plumes of thick smoke into the sky, occurred in the bustling industrial zone of Dhandari Kalan.
Emergency Response and Firefighting Efforts
Fire department officials received the emergency alert around 6:30 PM on Wednesday. Recognizing the scale of the blaze, they deployed a massive response team. A total of 20 fire tenders were rushed to the scene from multiple fire stations across the city to combat the rapidly spreading flames.
Firefighters battled the intense fire for several hours, working tirelessly to prevent it from spreading to adjacent industrial units in the densely packed area. Their primary challenge was the highly combustible nature of the materials stored inside the plant, which included raw materials for cattle feed production.
Cause and Extent of Damage
While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation by the authorities, preliminary assessments suggest it may have originated from a short circuit within the factory premises. The flames quickly engulfed the single-story structure, leading to a complete collapse of the roof and causing severe damage to machinery, stored raw materials, and the building itself.
Fortunately, due to the timing of the incident, no casualties or injuries have been reported. The factory was likely closed or had minimal staff present when the fire broke out, preventing a potential human tragedy. However, the economic loss for the plant owners is expected to be substantial, running into lakhs of rupees.
Aftermath and Official Statements
Fire department officials confirmed that the situation was brought under control after a prolonged operation. Cooling processes continued for hours to ensure no hidden embers could reignite. The area was cordoned off, and authorities have initiated a thorough probe to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the disaster.
This incident has once again highlighted the fire safety concerns in Ludhiana's industrial clusters. Local residents and business owners have expressed anxiety, calling for stricter enforcement of safety norms and regular inspections of electrical installations in such units to prevent future occurrences.
The fire serves as a stark reminder for industrial units, especially those dealing with flammable materials, to maintain robust fire prevention systems, conduct regular safety drills, and ensure all electrical wiring is up to code to avert such devastating incidents.
