A massive fire broke out at a fireworks shop-cum-godown on Bairagarh Road in the early hours of Friday, triggering a series of explosions that echoed across the area and sent flames soaring 70-80 feet high into the air. No casualties were reported. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained, but officials suspect that a short circuit might have started the fire.
Incident Details
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. at a fireworks outlet located in Halalpura. Firecrackers stored inside the shop caught fire, leading to repeated explosions that hampered firefighting operations. Around a dozen fire brigades from Fatehgarh, Bairagarh, Gandhi Nagar, Kabadkhana, Kolar, BHEL, and other fire stations rushed to the spot after receiving information about the blaze. Firefighters battled the flames for over three hours before bringing the situation under control. The fire could finally be doused completely by 10 a.m.
Precautionary Measures
Two fire brigades remained stationed in the area as a precautionary measure throughout the day, suspecting that the rising temperature during the day could trigger unexploded crackers buried under the debris and may reignite the blaze.
Investigation and Aftermath
Koh-e-Fiza police along with the FSL team and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials conducted an inspection of the site to find out the cause of the fire. Koh-e-Fiza SHO K.G. Shukla said that police would register a case in the matter based on the report of BMC officials and conduct an investigation. Further action will be taken based on the investigation outcome. He said that the owner of the fireworks shop-cum-godown, Sanjay Soni, reportedly fell unconscious after the incident and was hospitalized. Police are yet to record his statements. Goods kept in the shop were completely gutted in the fire, and the exact loss was being estimated.
Response and Challenges
SHO Shukla said that the fire started at the shop located in the Halalpur area around 3:30 a.m. Acting on information, police reached the spot and informed the fire control room. BMC fire officer Saurabh Patel said that information about the fire was received around 4 a.m. Fire brigades were immediately dispatched to the spot from nearby fire stations. Around a dozen fire brigades battled the blaze for around three hours before bringing it under control. He said that the firefighters could not move close to the burning shop as the firecrackers stored inside were exploding constantly, due to which burning remains and sparks were thrown into the air.
Containment and Safety
He said that the major concern was to control the fire from spreading into a petrol pump located in close proximity and other buildings located nearby. The other firecracker shops in the area are located around half a kilometer away from this shop. As the fire broke out early in the morning, there was minimal traffic on the road. Police closed one lane of the road for traffic during the operation as burning crackers and remains were landing on the carriageway. Power supply to the area was disconnected due to the firefighting operation. It was restored in the afternoon.
