A major fire broke out at a furniture warehouse in Kasturba Nagar area, situated opposite city’s Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT), on Sunday afternoon. The inferno, which started around 3:30 pm, triggered widespread panic as thick black smoke billowed into the sky, remaining visible from nearly 10 kms away for over three hours. According to Govindpura Police and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) fire control room, the blaze spread rapidly due to high concentration of timber, industrial chemicals, and plastic materials. To contain the fire, over 20 fire engines and 40 water tankers were mobilised from multiple stations across the city. In a tactical move to reach the seat of the fire, CISF teams from BHEL initially attempted to breach the compound wall. A bulldozer was deployed to demolish a section of the structure, allowing fire tenders to enter the premises and spray water directly onto the combustible stock.

 

As a precautionary measure, the administration ordered the evacuation of adjacent residential colony. Families were seen moving their belongings onto the streets as fear grew that the fire might jump to nearby houses. Fire Officer Saurabh Patel noted that teams faced significant hurdles, including a locked pickup truck blocking the access route. “The keys to the vehicle were destroyed in the fire. We had to smash the windows to move the vehicle manually before the fire engines could proceed,” Patel said. He added that firemen also used specialised foam and utilised ropes to pull down tin partitions at the rear of the factory to create ventilation and access points. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-2) Gautam Solanki confirmed that while the property damage is extensive-estimated at approximately Rs 10 lakh—no casualties or injuries were reported. “The situation is now fully under control. The operation lasted nearly six hours, and we have maintained a heavy presence of police and municipal personnel at the site to ensure safety,”