GB Nagar: Blaze erupts at dumping yard near NTPC plant

Prima facie it looks like some miscreants lit the fire or threw burning cigarettes in Dadri fire, and in Phase-1 Noida fire the reason behind the blaze is yet to ascertained

Noida: Gautam Budh Nagar witnessed two fire incidents on Sunday, with one of them taking place at a dumping yard near the national thermal power corporation (NTPC) plant in Dadri, Greater Noida, and the other occurring at a godown of scrapped vehicles in Phase-1, Noida. None of the incidents caused any casualty.

The citizens in an official advisory have been urged to avoid discarding burning items like cigarettes in open areas to prevent fires. (HT Photo)

A massive fire broke out at a dumping yard close to the NTPC plant in Dadri locality in the morning that took two hours to extinguish the blaze, said officers, adding that there was no casualty.

Prima facie it looked like some miscreants lit the fire or threw burning cigarettes, they added.

“At 10.03am, a local resident alerted the fire control room that a massive fire had broken out at an open plot used as a dumping yard, located in Dadri in Greater Noida,” said Greater Noida fire officer Indra Pal Singh.

“A team of firefighters from surrounding fire stations was rushed to the spot. But by the time we reached, two fire tenders from NTPC were already pressed into service to control the fire,” officer said.

The fire was controlled around 11.30am, with the help of a total three fire tenders, including one from the fire department, he added.

“As there are no overhead electric wires, it is suspected, prima facie, that some miscreants intentionally ignited the fire or threw burned cigarettes,” the officer said, adding the exact cause behind the fire remains to be ascertained.

The dumping yard, close to the NTPC plant, is surrounded by boundaries. It was used by some unidentified person to store used products like empty bottles or similar items generally collected by rag pickers. Fearing a hefty fine and police investigation, no one has claimed responsibility, the officer said, adding that efforts are underway to identify the person who used the plot as a dumping yard.

A video of the incident also went viral on social media platforms, showing black smoke engulfing the spot.

In a separate incident, at least 35 cars were gutted after a Phase-1 located car godown -- where scrapped and financed cars were dumped – erupted in a blaze in the afternoon.

“Around 3.20 pm, the fire control room was alerted about a fire at a locked car godown in Phase 1 locality. Six fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the fire was extinguished around 5pm,” said chief fire officer (Gautam Budh Nagar) Pradeep Kumar Chaubey, adding that the godown was lying shut for eight years.

“Scrap and finance cars are dumped in the locked godown… The reason behind the fire is not ascertained yet, but no injuries were reported,” the fire chief said.

Following instructions of the Uttar Pradesh government, the Noida police on Saturday issued directions to officers concerned to prevent fire mishaps in view of the continuing heat wave.

Police have issued an advisory for the general public and directives to officials, introducing a series of crucial fire safety directives in response to escalating temperatures and the heightened risk of fire accidents.

“Citizens are urged to avoid discarding burning items like cigarettes in open areas to prevent fires,” the advisory stated.