Around 14 fire engines battled to bring the fire under control and stop it from spreading to neighbouring chemical units.
Taloja / PCMC / Navi Mumbai: A major fire broke out at a chemical factory in the industrial area of Taloja MIDC on Tuesday morning. More than fourteen fire engines were pressed into action for around seven continuous hours.
At around 12 p.m., a fire broke out at Azeocryst Organic Pvt Ltd. at plot number 34 in the Taloja MIDC area, apparently due to a short circuit, and started deteriorating, rapidly spreading to two neighbouring units. The unit, an organic chemical company, was fast being engulfed as firefighters from as far as Vashi were called in for help.
Kashinath Chavan, Senior police inspector, Taloja MIDC police station, informed, “Firefighters tried dousing the fire while also ensuring that it did not spread further to other units in the area further complicating the issue. However, it had already engulfed the entire unit to an irreparable amount and also spread to another unit, Gauri Acids Pvt Ltd, on plot number 32, and other small on plots no. 33 and 35.”
The fire had started with a couple of loud blasts as chemical drums exploded one after the other, enough to send locals into a panic state as they started enquiring from all possible sources about the incident.
Luckily, the response to the fire was quick and adequate as around 14 fire engines of NMMC, CIDCO and MIDC battled to contain and douse the fire for more than seven hours.
The fire was eventually doused, thanks to the joint efforts of all the fire units that worked in tandem to contain the fire and secure the surroundings.
Fire fighters present at the scene explained how difficult and dangerous it had been to control the fire owing to the fact that it was in a chemical unit.
“Fire incidents can get very tricky when in chemical zones and every change of further escalation owing to the presence of chemicals of combustible nature around. Such fires are the ultimate tests as we have to control the fire from coming in contact with it’s immediate surroundings that can prove to be pretty dangerous for all present at the scene. There is always a chance of chemical burns and more. What if reaches bigger units that can create an even bigger problem for the residents in neighbouring residential zones? It can be a disaster of sorts,” one of the fire fighters shared.
The fire completely damaged the structure of two factories, including one where the fire had started. Apart from some minor burn injuries to two fire fighters, there were no casualties.
The most crucial part of the entire fire-fighting exercise was containing the fire at all costs while also ensuring safety from the chemicals already present in the danger zone. Being a chemical factory zone, it was a very tricky effort but paid well owing to praiseworthy coordination of all fire-fighting units present at the scene.
As news of the fire and videos started making the rounds of the local community, especially, Taloja and sectors 34, 35, and 36, people started to panic a bit, sitting on the edge of their seats, in a manner of saying.
Suraj Sharma, a Taloja resident, “The pollution from Taloja MIDC is already a matter of concern and the news of the fire was enough to send a panic signal. I live with my family and kids and although we shut all our windows, we were constantly updating ourselves of the situation in case we needed to evacuate. You never know, right?”
Local residents have praised the joint effort of the fire fighters and thanked them for bringing the situation under control.
