Ludhiana: Fire in hosiery waste godown

Fire officials could not ascertain the exact cause of the blaze but suspect it may have been ignited by a bonfire lit by employees to combat the cold weather

A massive fire broke out in a hosiery waste godown, located in an open area in Gopal Nagar at Tibba Road, Wednesday night. The flames rapidly engulfed yarn, cotton and polyester waste stored there. It took the fire brigade nearly six hours and six fire engines to bring the inferno under control.

It took the fire brigade nearly six hours and six fire engines to bring the blaze under control. (HT File)

Fire officials could not ascertain the exact cause of the blaze but suspect it may have been ignited by a bonfire lit by employees to combat the cold weather. “In these conditions, bonfires are common. It is possible the fire spread from such an activity,” said sub-fire officer Aatish Rai.

The fire destroyed large quantities of hosiery waste along with two-wheelers and household items. The loss is said to be worth lakhs of rupees. “We received information about the fire at around 11:30 pm. By the time we reached the spot, the flames had spread extensively. It was challenging to control due to the intensity and the densely populated area,” added Rai.

Gopal Nagar is home to numerous hosiery waste godowns, many of which store combustible materials in open spaces and even on rooftops, without proper fire safety measures. Despite previous fire incidents, authorities have failed to address this hazard.