For nearly 50 residents of Suyog Palace, a 12-storey tower at Laxmi Nagar Aath Rasta Chowk housing Reliance Smart Superstore, it was a close call on Diwali night (Tuesday) as fire raged through the store. Presence of combustible material in the shop stored for a considerable period and stock full of goods in the godown fired up the flames towards the residential part of the building. Luckily, timely noticing of the flames helped the residents make timely and safe escape. A bit late and the people might have got caught in the smoke that enveloped the entire building within 15 minutes, thanks largely to uneasiness on part of store manager to reach the spot early and refusal to let firemen break through the padlocked gate.

 

As to loss, NMC said, the same could be in the range of lakhs of rupees and exact figure would be known only after estimation as owners are yet to complete the check of stock and items destroyed. The exact reason behind the fire still remains to be ascertained, but for one, the casual approach of the big store was on full display for the citizens and why NMC still didn’t act on it remains unclear. Finally bowing before pressure of residents, the cops helped the fire fighters to break open the shop lock as total concealment of the first four floors prevented access to the mega store, said Pritesh Maturkar, Secretary of the Association that overlooks the maintenance of the Suyog Palace, adjacent to Suyog Mangal Karyalay. Maturkar said, it is suspected that the fire started close to 8.50 pm on Tuesday. Owing to ‘Laxmi Pujan’, the Reliance Mart was closed early.

 

The flames started from the front courtyard where the store’s vegetable section is located, again a matter of dispute, said Maturkar. Within minutes, the flames spread inside the store and to the adjacent storeroom area, in the basement. Maturkar said, owing to festivities, the store had stocked up goods, a rough estimate put it at 20 times the normal goods was kept inside it. The presence of oil and other flammable material helped the flames to gather steam and hence, explains why one could see the fire spread upwards in matter of minutes. Maturkar said, his mother who was downstairs alerted him about the fire and hence with wife and two and half week daughter, they got down by stairs. The timely call made all the difference and other families too moved out of their flats. All the floors were emptied and members got down using the stairs even as fire brigade team reached the spot on being alerted abut the fire. However, for the fire brigade personnel, the fire fighting operations proved quite challenging as they just could not get an opening into the core store area to spray water to prevent the spread of flames, claimed Maturkar.

 

The firemen surveyed the back and side portion of the building, but not an inch was available to set foot, leaving them jittery even as fire was getting out of control. Meanwhile, a large crowd of onlookers reached the spot as the news spread fast through social media. The fire brigade personnel’s task was made harder as they could not get access to inside the store where the flames were devouring one section after another. Maturkar said, the store manager did not reach the spot even after two hours and hence they along with police broke open the lock. Finally, the fire brigade personnel got the necessary opening and it helped them to stop the spread of flames.

 

He further claimed that the fire fighting system inside the store was not working, the sprinklers that should have been activated once smoke started did not work. Further, the storeroom was padlocked with heavy iron locks that again tested the strength of fire brigade personnel as reaching inside it was their main aim. In front of the storeroom, a steel barricade’s presence further was an hurdle. The firemen put up four hose lines and six motor pumps even as about six tenders were diverted to the spot. It took over five hours for the fire brigade men to finally call off the operations. According to initial survey, wiring, electric installations, foodgrains, cosmetics, edible oil, daily need products, steel racks and other items on ground floor were gutted.

 

 

Officially though firecrackers might not be behind foggy air in the city, however as to fire the blame squarely rests with reckless bursting of crackers. Even the public representative faced the brunt as fire incident was reported at the residence of MLA Pravin Datke, at Dakshinamurti Square, Mahal. Flames were noticed by Datke family members during wee hours of Wednesday. Fire brigade personnel rushed to spot and doused the flames. It is suspected that a loose firecracker caused the fire. Fire brigade personnel had a field day over two days of Laxmi Pujan festivities. As the places of fire incidents suggests, the stray falling of embers from the firecrackers lighted up seven places on Monday and Tuesday. Fire at Reliance Smart store in Laxmi Nagar too is suspected to be cause by a firecracker. As to other places included lobby at Hotel Fire brigade personnel rushed to spot and doused the flames. It is suspected that a loose firecracker caused the fire. Fire brigade personnel had a field day over two days of Laxmi Pujan festivities. As the places of fire incidents suggests, the stray falling of embers from the firecrackers lighted up seven places on Monday and Tuesday. Fire at Reliance Smart store in Laxmi Nagar too is suspected to be cause by a firecracker. As to other places included lobby at Hotel Rahul, Ganeshpeth, a car in front of Ganeshpeth Police Station, a nursery on Besa Road, a hutment at Tathagat Square in Sugat Nagar area.

 

 

Two more incidents of fire were reported in city on Wednesday keeping the fire brigade of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on tenterhooks. A big fire was reported at ICAD centre in Byramji Town. Passers-by noticed flames emanating from the second floor of a commercial building. The time was around 9 pm when the smoke was detected and citizens informed the Fire Brigade control about the same. Two fire tenders were rushed to spot and since the class was locked the door lock was broken to gain entry. The flames were extinguished within half an hour. The loss is still being assessed. The reason behind fire is still not known. Later, on late Wednesday evening the Fire Brigade Department got a call about fire in a commercial premises on Manewada-Besa Road. The fire broke out at a courier office that was stacked up with snacks and biscuits. The incident was reported from Mangaldeep Nagar. One tender was dispatched to the spot. Details of loss are being are still being assessed.