Bhopal: Two firemen were injured and a three-story building totally gutted in a massive fire that erupted in the wee hours of Thursday in Gwalior. The blaze was made worse by the bursting of five LPG cylinders kept in the factory.
The fire began at around 2:30 to 3:00 am on Thursday, in the Kalan Gopal multi-story building located in Khasgi Bazar, Gwalior, within the jurisdiction of the Janakganj Police Station.
According to police, the fire broke out in a thread-making factory situated in the basement of the three-story building.
Fuelled by the highly flammable thread-making materials, the fire quickly grew and spread to five flats located on the second and third floors.
Upon noticing the flames, the residents of the affected flats evacuated the building immediately and contacted the police and fire department for assistance.
“The fire is now under control and no human life has been lost in the incident. As many as seven families live in the building,” Manish Yadav, Deputy Superintendent of Police, informed IANS.
He further said that two firefighters namely Purushottam and Lokendra, sustained burn injuries while attempting to contain the fire that was made worse by the bursting of five cooking gas cylinders stored in the factory.
Both the injured personnel have been hospitalised, and investigations are underway to determine the legality of the factory’s operations and the storage of materials within.
Authorities are also probing whether the incident was triggered by a short circuit or other factors.
As the fire brigade tackled the flames, five gas cylinders exploded consecutively. Reinforcements, including the Air Force fire brigade, were called upon to assist in extinguishing the massive blaze.
The fire was fully controlled by mid-morning.
Residents reported noticing the fire when smoke began filling their flats and flames erupted from the factory below, creating a chaotic scene as they rushed downstairs to safety.
By the time emergency responders arrived, the fire had already reached the upper floors, necessitating a coordinated effort to contain it.
Firefighters braved the explosions to enter the factory and spray water in an effort to suppress the blaze.
Investigations into the incident continue as authorities assess the factors leading to the blaze.
(IANS)
