Massive Fire at Scrap Warehouse Near Highway, Hero Showroom Narrowly Escapes
Fire at scrap yard in Raigarh
Raigarh | Correspondent: A major tragedy was narrowly averted on Saturday after a massive fire broke out at a scrap warehouse near the Chatamura bypass on the National Highway in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. A large Hero Motorcycles showroom located adjacent to the warehouse was also under threat as the flames spread rapidly.
Displaying remarkable presence of mind, showroom employees and local residents quickly shifted dozens of newly parked motorcycles to a safer location, preventing a huge financial loss.
The incident triggered panic across the Chatamura area, while thick black smoke rising from the site could be seen from several kilometers away. As a precautionary measure, the administration temporarily suspended traffic movement on a stretch of the National Highway, leading to a long traffic jam.
Scrap warehouse operator Mohammad Arif has raised suspicion over the incident, alleging that miscreants may have deliberately set the fire. He stated that a large quantity of plastic and paper stored inside the warehouse caused the flames to spread rapidly.
Arif further claimed that if seven to eight fire tenders had reached the spot during the initial stage of the blaze, the extent of the damage could have been significantly reduced.
District Commandant Blasius Kujur said the firefighting operation was extremely challenging due to the highly combustible scrap and plastic materials. Teams from the Home Guards, local industries, and neighboring districts including Korba and Sarangarh jointly carried out the rescue and firefighting efforts.
After several hours of intense operation involving five fire tenders, the fire was finally brought under complete control.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Considering the seriousness of the incident, police have launched an investigation. Tehsildar Shiv Dansena, who reached the spot, stated that the immediate priority was to control the blaze, which has now been achieved. The total extent of the damage will be assessed after a detailed investigation and evaluation.
