2 cars gutted in Ludhiana fire, residents move 5 vehicles to safety

According to eyewitnesses, the cars were parked in the plot when smoke began emanating from them; the flames soon engulfed both vehicles, prompting residents to alert the fire brigade

Ludhiana Two cars were destroyed in a fire at a vacant plot in Gandhi Nagar on Saturday, while residents moved at least five vehicles parked nearby to prevent the flames from spreading. The fire involved a Mahindra Scorpio-N and a Maruti Suzuki Baleno, both of which suffered extensive damage before firefighters brought the blaze under control.

The vehicles in flames at a vacant plot at Gandhi Nagar in Ludhiana on Saturday. (HT)

According to eyewitnesses, the cars were parked in the plot when smoke began emanating from them. The flames soon engulfed both vehicles, prompting residents to alert the fire brigade. Locals also moved at least five vehicles parked alongside the burning cars to prevent them from catching fire. The presence of overhead high-tension wires further raised concerns among residents.

Shubham Kumar, a hosiery businessman, said he had parked his Scorpio-N alongside a Baleno belonging to his uncle, Neeraj Kumar, in the plot. The family was informed about the fire by local residents and rushed to the spot, where they found both vehicles engulfed in flames. Ashok Kumar said the Baleno had been purchased just three months ago.

A fire tender reached the spot and firefighters managed to douse the blaze before it spread to other vehicles or nearby residential areas. No casualties were reported. Fire officials suspect the vehicles may have caught fire from a nearby pile of garbage. However, the exact cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained.