Mangalore: Fire in Trade Centre - Firemen Conclude Operation, People Safe
Pics by Ganesh Perla & Spoorthy Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore(RS/SP)
Update at 2.35pm, IST, Aug 12, 2009
After an operation by the fire brigade that took nearly three hours, the chief fire officer, H S Varadarajan, declared that the fire dousing operation has been successfully concluded and that the fire personnel have been checking out all the floors in the building.
He claimed that the operation was rendered very difficult, because of the fact that fire fighting equipments not put in place in this multistoried building, in violation of the code for construction of buildings.
If the fire equipments along with the hydrants had been kept in place as required, the firemen could have dosed fire a little bit earlier, he added.
The officer also added that, more than 70 persons were brought out from the upper floors of the building located above the fire-affected floor, where as four firemen of the department of fire services have been injured.
More than 15 persons were admitted to hospitals in the city for treatment, because of the breathing problems experienced due to the inhalation of the toxic smoke.
After the fire was almost extinguished, the people who were stuck in the upper floors of the building were evacuated with the help of the fire personnel.
The grim situation witnessed at the beginning, after smoke started billowing from the fourth floor, made some of the people to decide to jump outside, but because of the advice given by the fire personnel, they stayed on. They had been warned to stay where they were, and were assured of their safety. Almost all the people who were in the upper floors waited patiently, as a result of which no grave injuries occurred.
The chief fire officer said that eight tankers of water was used by the fire department to douse the fire, where as two more tankers had arrived from MCF and MRPL for the operation.
He stated, that he was informed at the time of registering the fire report, that short circuit had caused the fire. However, the exact cause of the fire would be known only after a thorough check, he added.
Update at 1.35 pm
People being Evacuated: Operation in Concluding Stages
The firemen have now started evacuating the people, who had been stranded in the upper stories of the building. Those who show symptoms of smoke inhalation, are being hospitalized. No major injuries or casualties have been reported so far.
Two more firemen were injured in the operation since last report. The dousing operation is in final stages and the firemen are expected to conclude their task soon.
Update at 1.10 pm
One fireman injured: MCF/MRPL Fire Fighters arrive
The three rescued men have been admitted to a hospital, as they showed symptoms of suffocation due to inhalation of smoke. One of the firemen was injured while taking part in the dousing operations.
Fire fighting equipments from Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers and Mangalore Refinery and Petro Chemicals Ltd have arrived to support the fire-fighting operations. The operations have gained momentum with the arrival of additional, powerful equipments.
Update at 12.50 pm
Three Rescued from Fourth Floor
There are a total of six shops/offices located above the fourth floor of the building. Three persons, who were on the fourth floor, have since been rescuede. None of them have been injured.
Two of the upper floors are occupied by the office of the commisioner of central excise, while offices of Kotak Securities and Pyramid Breakers are also located there.
Hundreds of onlookers, people close to the ones stuck in the building etc., have gathered on the scene of the incident. Thick smoke has engulfed the building.
Mangalore, Aug 12: Fire was detected in the fourth floor of 'Trade Centre' building located near Jyothi Circle on Bunts Hostel Road in the city, at around noon on Wednesday August 12. Fire tenders have been pressed into service and the situation appears to be grim.
The building has seven floors, and the fire was noticed in an electrical goods godown located on the fourth floor. While people from lower floors have been evicted, over 200 people are believed to have been stuck in the upper floors. People are making frantic efforts to climb down to safety, and the fire brigade personnel have been doing everything in their command to ensure that there are no casualties. So far, no casualties have been reported.
The firemen have so far been able in controlling the fire from spreading to other parts of the building.