Firemen try to control the smoke billowing from the dumping ground at Dadumajra, Chandigarh. (Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi) A major fire broke out at the dumping ground and waste processing plant in Chandigarh on Wednesday, leaving the entire area engulfed with smoke and people choking due to the same.
A senior official said that this fire was more grave than the previous two such major fire incidents in the last six months. This time, the fire broke out at the waste processing plant too. However, officials said that there has been no damage to the machinery as the fire was controlled in time.
Medical officer of health Dr Amrit Warring told The Indian Express that this time fire erupted both at the waste processing plant as well as at Dadu Majra waste dumping site.
“Due to the storm in the morning, it somehow sparked a fire in the waste processing plant too and the dumping yard. Reason is still being investigated. Everyone was evacuated from the plant and everything is safe,” Dr Warring said.
The fire office received a call about fire at 2.33 pm. Immediately, eight fire tenders (two big with 18,000 litres capacity and six mid-sized with 5,000 litres capacity) were pressed into service.
“First focus is to safeguard plant and machinery of the processing plant. Right now plant building has been secured, fire extinguishing work is going on outside the plant and at dump site. At dump site, JCBs are being used to throw sand from some distance so as to allow smoke to subside and allow entry for firemen,” an official said.
“More than one fourth of the city is having a tough time. Residents are complaining of breathing problems, eye sickness and other incidental issues,” said Vinod Vashisht, convener, CFORWO.
This is the second time since February this year that a fire has broken out.
Smoke engulfed nearby sectors. Residents of Dadumajra said that the fire at the dumping ground caused breathing problems to many of them.
During the fire on February 21, as many as five fire tenders along with earth filling vehicles were put into service but the fire could be controlled only after two to three days.
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