Ambala plastic factory fire
Ambala: A major fire broke out at a plastic parts manufacturing factory in Azad Nagar, Ambala Cantonment, early Friday morning after an air-conditioner compressor reportedly exploded. The blaze caused extensive damage to materials, raw stock and equipment stored on the first floor of the factory.
The fire broke out at around 5 a.m. at Rej Industries, located in the Azad Nagar area. According to the initial information, flames quickly spread to the first floor of the building, where plastic materials and other equipment were stored. Much of the stock on the floor was completely destroyed in the fire.
The fire department deployed five fire tenders from Ambala Cantt, Ambala City and Barara to control the blaze. Firefighters worked for nearly six hours before bringing the situation under control.
However, the incident was not completely over. Smoke and flames were reported to have started again at the factory in the evening, following which fire tenders were once again sent to the location.
Factory Owners Question Fire Department Response
The exact extent of the financial loss has not yet been assessed by factory owners Praveen Aggarwal and Sushant Aggarwal.
Following the incident, the factory owners and their family members raised questions about the response of the fire department. They alleged that firefighters were informed about the blaze around 5 a.m., but the first fire tender that reached the spot was only partially filled with water. According to them, the water supply was exhausted within a short time, while the arrival of another fire tender took longer.
The family members claimed that if larger fire tenders carrying sufficient water had reached the factory on time, the fire could have been brought under control at an earlier stage and a significant portion of the loss could have been prevented.
The fire department, however, rejected the allegations and said the response time was consistent with the time normally required for vehicles to reach the location from the respective stations.
Factory Reportedly Had No Fire NOC
The initial investigation by the fire department also raised concerns about fire safety arrangements at the factory.
Officials said the factory was operating in a residential area and reportedly did not have adequate fire safety equipment. It was also found that the factory had not obtained a Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department.
The department has started the process of issuing a show-cause notice to the factory operator and will seek an explanation regarding the absence of the required fire NOC.
The fire department is also facing a shortage of some staff as payroll employees are reportedly on strike over their demands. Regular and HKR staff are continuing to provide services.
Narrow Lanes Made Firefighting Difficult
The narrow lanes of Azad Nagar created additional difficulties for firefighters. The factory was located in the middle of the congested lanes, making it difficult for fire tenders to reach the building directly.
Firefighters had to keep the vehicle at a distance and use nearly 100 metres of fire hose to reach the factory and control the flames.
Because plastic material was stored inside the premises, the fire continued to smoulder even after the main blaze had been brought under control. This was also cited as the reason for the fire flaring up again in the evening.
Chief Fire Officer Pankaj Kumar, Ambala Cantonment, said the factory was operating in a residential area without permission and that officials had not found the necessary documents. He said a notice would be issued to seek an explanation regarding the absence of a fire NOC.
The official also said that the slight delay in the morning was linked to the ongoing staff strike and that the fire tenders from Ambala City and Barara took the normal time required to reach the location.
The exact value of the property and material destroyed in the fire is yet to be determined.
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