Fire in rooftop store room at Pragati Apartment

 

 

 

Panic gripped Jawahar Chowk area on Wednesday afternoon after a massive fire broke out in a rooftop store room of a residential building at Bharat Mata Square. The incident occurred around 3 pm at B-block of Pragati Apartment, a four-storey structure, triggering chaos in the busy locality. As a precaution, residents rushed out of the building fearing a major mishap. Timely evacuation ensured that no injuries or loss of life were reported. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started suddenly on the terrace where a store room had been constructed. Within minutes, flames engulfed the structure, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky. Locals noted that the intensity of the blaze was visible from a distance, drawing large crowds and causing temporary traffic congestion on adjoining roads.

 

Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials stated that three fire tenders and approximately 15 personnel battled the flames for nearly two hours before bringing the situation under control. The store room reportedly contained a large quantity of old furniture and defunct electrical appliances, including coolers, fans, and air conditioners. Residents claimed they heard a loud explosion, suspected to be an air conditioner, moments before the fire erupted. While this led to speculation that an AC unit explosion triggered the blaze, officials are yet to provide a formal confirmation of the exact cause.

 

BMC Fire Officer Pankaj Khare described the blaze as extremely intense. Firefighters exercised extra caution due to the suspected presence of an oil-filled drum inside the store room. As a safety measure, an SSB team was also deployed at the site to assist in securing the perimeter. TT Nagar ACP Ankita Khatankar stated that the fire broke out in scrap materials kept on the rooftop. She confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was caused by a short circuit in the air conditioner wiring, the ACP added.