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15 shops gutted in blaze at Chandigarh’s Sector-53 furniture market
Notably, of the three water bowsers available with the Chandigarh fire brigade, only one is operational
A major fire engulfed the Sector-53 furniture market on Tuesday morning, leaving as many as 15 shops gutted. In a respite, no casualty was reported as shopkeepers and others present at the spot rushed to the safety.
The incident, however, created panic in the area, with the fire brigade also facing difficulties dousing the flames.
The fire brigade received the call informing them about the fire at 10.37 am, following which two fire tenders were pressed into service.
The fire, however, spread quickly and spread to nearby shops. Thinners stored in drums at some of the shops further fueled the blaze.
A total of 10 fire tenders, including seven from different Chandigarh fire stations, one from Panchkula and two from Mohali, were then sent to the spot to aid the firefighting operations. One water bowser from Sector 17 fire station was also pressed into service.
“We saw two fire tenders that came after the first call. The fire was spreading rapidly to nearby shops. Within minutes, the water was exhausted and they went to refill leaving the people in a state of panic. The fire brigade officials told us more tenders will be coming, but several shops had been engulfed in the blaze by the time the fire tenders reached,” said Reena, daughter of one of the shop owners.
Eyewitnesses recalled chaotic scenes with charred wooden furniture including beds, tables, cupboards, almirahs and chairs spread across the market even as workers and good samaritans rushed to help carry the commodities away from the blaze.
Balwendra Furniture shop was amongst the first few shops in the market from where the fire spread. Its owner, 70-year-old Baldev Singh, said he had just come out of the market to help in unloading furniture from a tempo at the time.
“I had just come out as a tempo arrived with goods when the fire spread. Within seconds, I saw my shop being reduced to ashes,” he said, adding that he had been running the shop since 1989.
Firemen were seen calling out to each other in the din in absence of wireless communication.
Notably, of the three water bowsers available with the Chandigarh fire brigade, only one is operational.
Chief fire officer (CFO) Gurinder Singh Sodhi did not reach the spot as he was preoccupied with the mayoral polls.
The fire was eventually doused after a five-hour operation.
A short circuit is said to be the reason behind the fire, officials said.
Sitting on a powder keg
The Sector-53 furniture market bordering Mohali is not new to fire incidents. While there are over 100 furniture shops in the market, most of these are being run from temporary structures.
The lack of fire safety norms is apparent, with the market having no fire exits or ventilation and little to no space between shops that store a hoard of furniture as well drums full of thinners.
When contacted, Chief fire officer (CFO) Gurinder Singh Sodhi said they have been writing to the UT estate office regarding the absence of fire safety norms at the furniture market in Sector 52. He conceded that fires in the market have become a routine affair and they will be taking up the matter.
Sources said the fire first started from the sheds located at the rear end of the shops and soon spread to the front areas. “It appears to be a single shop from outside, but as one goes in, they find three shops and two illegally constructed sheds,” said a fireman on duty.
In 2019, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking closure of the market and contesting its legality. The PIL had stated that there have been nine major fire incidents at the market in 17 years.
