Fire engulfs open scrap godown in Vadodara

VADODARA: An open scrap godown near Jambuva bridge on outskirts of the city was engulfed in fire on Sunday afternoon.
The scrap godown containing the waste materials made of plastic, petrochemicals, plastic and chemicals were charred as the fire was sparked mysteriously around 3 pm. Emergency vehicles were rushed from Makarpura GIDC, Dandiya Bazaar, Panigate fire stations and emergency response centre.
Officials said that the fire had taken giant form as the materials were stored in the open ground without following any safety measures. “The material stored was also highly inflammable and since it is an open ground the burnt particles were being carried away due to the wind, which spread the flames further,” said fire officer Nikunj Azad of Makarpura GIDC fire station. He added that it took more than two hours to control the fire and even after that salvaging activity was on.
It was later learnt that the godown’s owner had not taken any permission or no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Vadodara Municipal Corporation or the Vadodara Fire and Emergency Services. Azad said that he learnt about the existence of the godown only after he received the emergency call.
Meanwhile, locals blamed the fire department for not moving swiftly after they called the fire department to inform about the incident. A lady who called the fire brigade alleged that the fire tenders arrived an hour after she had called. “Had the firemen arrived early, the fire would not have spread so much,” she said.