Nagpur News.
A major fire broke out at Friends Timber Mart Private Limited situated at Kapsi Khurd on Bhandara road here in the wee hours of Wednesday, reducing the saw dust and huge quantity of timber kept there to ashes. Massive flames emanated from the workshop after the fire caught up in the saw dust. The actual cause of fire was yet to ascertained, however sources said short circuit in the saw machine had caused the accident. Saw dust and timber had soon caught fire.
The fire reportedly broke out at 2:35 am. Fire fighters struggled for eight long hours to command control over the flames which can only be doused by 10 am on Wednesday.
Chief Fire Officer Rajendra Uchke told Nagpur Today that the timber caught fire, however the fire department has succeeded in bringing the fire under control only at around 10 am.
The exact extent of damage could not be ascertained, since the fire department is busy dousing the flames and is preventing the fire in spreading to nearby areas.
Sources claim that people noticed flames and smoke from Friends Timber Mart Pvt Ltd Company at around 2.30 am. The owners Sameer Jaiswal and Puneet Kohli were informed about the fire who later informed alerted Fire Department. Over a dozen fire tenders were dispatched to the scene from fire stations at Civil Lines, Lakadganj, Sakkardara, Kalamna, Ganjipeth, and Cotton Market. After struggle of hours, fire officials could control the fire on Wednesday afternoon.
Fire officials informed that no fire fighting measures were installed in the mill due to which the officials faced tough time struggling with fire.
The tin shade which melted due to excessive heat was another hurdle for the officials. Two JCB machines were deployed to move the melted tin shade after which the officials were able to control the flames. Officials informed that timber of lakhs of rupees was destroyed completely in the fire. However, fire officials are still uncertain about the reason behind this massive fire.
It must be noted that Sameer Jaiswal and Puneet Kohli who own the company had started the Sawmill without any NoC from the Fire Department nor has any fire fighting equipment been installed in the mill to control such untoward incidents. The company is situated at Kapsi Khurd Bhandara Road and transports crores of timber to foreign countries. It’s a question of investigation how the company was started without any proper NoC from the Fire Department.
