UTTAR PRADESH: A massive fire broke out at an NCC Limited warehouse, operated under the 'Jal Nigam Gramin' (Rural Water Corporation), in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi early Thursday morning, officials said.
The fire broke out at around 3:30 a.m. at the warehouse located on Bilgram Road, within the Kotwali city area of Hardoi, they added.
The sight of rising flames caused panic in the surrounding area.
The fire department was immediately alerted, and a fire brigade team arrived at the scene to begin firefighting operations.
"It took firefighters nearly four hours of continuous effort to bring the blaze under control. Fortunately, there were no casualties, though the materials stored inside the warehouse were reduced to ashes. An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage," officials said.
Hardoi's Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Mahesh Singh, speaking to IANS, said, "Information regarding the fire at the NCC warehouse on Bilgram Road was received in the early hours. Upon receiving the alert, a fire tender was immediately dispatched from the Sadar station."
"When the firefighters arrived, the blaze had already spread rapidly. Given the gravity of the situation, additional units were promptly summoned. Two more fire tenders from Sadar, two from Sandila, and one from Bilgram reached the site, bringing the total number of fire tenders deployed to six," he mentioned.
CFO Mahesh Singh explained that a large quantity of plastic scrap was stored near the warehouse, posing a risk that the fire could spread further.
"Demonstrating quick thinking, the firefighters applied water from all sides to cool the structure and prevent the flames from extending to the surrounding area. After an intense struggle, the fire was brought almost entirely under control," he said.
He stated that there has been no loss of life in this incident.
"Preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit may have been the cause of the fire. However, the exact cause will only be determined following a detailed investigation," the CFO added.