Fire breaks out in testing lab at SAC

AHMEDABAD: A fire broke out in an equipment testing facility on Isro’s Space Applications Centre (SAC) campus in Satellite on Thursday afternoon. Sources in the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES) said the fire was quickly controlled but it took three and a half hours to clear the smoke and make sure there were no flames left and that the fire wouldn’t spread.
“The fire-fighting operation began with seven vehicles but 24 vehicles were eventually engaged, due to the importance of the campus,” said an AFES official.

A statement from SAC said that the fire took place in Building 37 at about 1.15pm.

“The fire wing of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at SAC rushed to the spot and tried to control the blaze. Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES) personnel soon reached the site and battled the fire,” the statement said.

“Mukesh Kumar, municipal commissioner; Vikrant Pandey, district collector; M F Dastoor, chief fire officer and special director, FSL, reached the site and supervised the operation,” the statement said.

According to SAC, the fire was controlled in one and a half hour. “Two CISF personnel and two AFES personnel engaged in the firefighting reported breathlessness and were treated at a nearby hospital,” the statement said.

“The immediate cause of the fire has not been identified and it will be confirmed only after an investigation by the competent authorities. The incident is not expected to affect projects and programmes of SAC/Isro significantly,” the statement from SAC said.

Sources with first-hand information said the fire had started in the building’s insulation foam. The fire itself was not big but smoke spread through the the building and its surroundings.

The follow-up operation was thus to clear the smoke so technical experts could check the equipment and ascertain that there was no further risk of fire.