Three firemen injured in blaze at chemical godown in Mumbai

Fire was reported on the second flood of the godown in the ground-plus-two-storey Udyog Nagar Industrial Estate at 6.57am.

A major fire broke out in a godown at Goregaon (West) on Saturday. While no deaths were reported, three firemen were injured in the incident.

Fire-fighters attempt to douse off the fire which broke out in a warehouse at Udyog Nagar of Goregaon West in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, August 24, 2019. (Ragul Krishnan/ HT PHOTO)

According to the Mumbai fire brigade, the fire was reported on the second flood of the godown in the ground-plus-two-storey Udyog Nagar Industrial Estate at 6.57am.

The fire reportedly started in unit number 107 and 108, both of which are combined units.

It then escalated to a level two fire by 7.29am, and by 9.17am, it rose to a level three (major) fire. Eight fire engines and seven jumbo tankers were rushed to the spot. The cause of the fire was not ascertained till the time of going to press.

A fire brigade official, on condition of anonymity, said the godown had chemical and pharmaceutical products.

Six explosions were reported from the spot and a part of the side wall, beam and column of the building collapsed, the official said.

Till late evening, two quick response vehicles, a turn-table ladder, rescue van, two breathing apparatus vans and a 108 ambulance were present at the spot, while cooling operations continued till the time of going to press.

PS Rahangdale, chief fire officer, said, “There were six explosions owing to LPG cylinders at the spot and the building was covered [with smoke] from all sides till 5.07pm. The cooling operations continued till late evening.”

Three fire officers – VB Daripakar, PR Parulekar and Manohar Prabhakar Chavan – complained of suffocation owing to the smoke. They were taken to the nearby HBT Trauma Care Hospital for further treatment.

Another fire brigade official said the fire was confined to the electric wirings, electric installations, wooden partitions, packing materials, LPG cylinders, wooden lofts, pharmaceutical materials, office records and furniture.