Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, May 31

An accidental fire, started by a tractor-trailer laden with hay (parali), caused immense damage to impounded vehicles lying in the Basti Jodhewal police station complex this morning.

Although the fire was put out by alert police personnel and firefighters of the Municipal Fire Brigade, but more than two dozen vehicles impounded by the police, including cars and two wheelers, which were parked in an open area around the police station, were gutted.

The ACP (North), Gurbinder Singh, said the loaded tractor-trailer passing alongside the police station lost its balance after being hit by a bus and rammed into an electric pole. “The resultant sparking by power cables set haystacks on fire and the burning stacks fell down on the impounded vehicles parked at a vacant site around the police station,” the ACP added.

He said both the police personnel and firefighters tackled the fire valiantly by getting the power supply switched off immediately and then putting out the fire. The police were assessing the exact quantum of loss caused by the accidental fire and a case would be registered accordingly, said the police official.