Firefighting operation at the chemical factory in Phase 2 industrial area, Panchkula, on Tuesday night. (Photo by Jaipal Singh)

A MAJOR fire broke out at an industrial unit, Color Industry Chemical Factory, in phase 2 on Tuesday night. Goods and chemicals worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed.

Three cars parked inside the industrial unit were damaged. A dozen fire tenders from Panchkula, Kalka, Derabassi and Zirakpur were rushed to the spot for controlling the fire. The fire was controlled till Wednesday morning.

Sources said at least 10 explosions occurred during the fire tragedy. No human loss was reported. Fire brigade sources said an adjoining industrial unit too suffered the loss due to the fire incident.

So far, the exact reason behind the fire incident cannot be ascertained.

Sources said the fire broke out in the same industrial unit at least four times in the last one decade. Fire brigade sources said there was around 200 ltr chemical at the industrial unit when the fire broke out. The adjoining industrial unit is the V K Luxury House.

Senior police officers, including ACP Nupur Bishnoi, SHO of Sector 14 police station, Inspector Naveen Kumar, incharge police post-19, S-I Gulab Singh, along with fire brigade officials rushed to the spot. A DDR was lodged at Sector 19 police post. Police sources said the heavy rain on Tuesday night also helped the fire brigade personnel in dousing the fire.

Eyewitnesses reported heated arguments between the owner of Color Industry and adjoining VK Luxury House. The owner of VK Luxury House blamed owner of Color Industry for the negligence and ignoring the fire safety norms.

The Panchkula police lodged an FIR against Ashwani Jindal, owner of chemical industry, for causing danger to the lives of others with fire Wednesday.

The FIR was registered on the complaint of Tarundeep Singh, manager with VN Luxury House, a furniture workshop.

The workshop adjoins the chemical factory. Police said that the FIR was registered at Sector 20 police station.