Ghaziabad, March 6 (IANS) Panic spread in the area after a massive fire broke out on Thursday night in a paint factory and a scrap warehouse in the Mainapur Industrial Area located on Meerut Road in Ghaziabad. The fire was so intense that thick black smoke could be seen from a distance.

As soon as the fire department received the information about the blaze, several teams reached the spot and managed to bring the fire under control after strenuous efforts. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the incident.

According to the fire department, at around 8:56 PM on Thursday night, the Kotwali Fire Station in Ghaziabad received information that a fire had broken out at Arvind Chemicals Paint Factory and Saral Scrap in the Mainapur Industrial Area on Meerut Road. Immediately after the information was received, the Chief Fire Officer from Vaishali Fire Station and the Fire Officer from Kotwali Fire Station, along with four fire tenders, rushed to the scene.

Upon arrival, the firefighters saw thick black smoke coming out of the factory and the fire spreading rapidly. The fire brigade immediately laid out hose lines and began firefighting operations. Due to the intense heat of the fire, the factory’s tin-shed structure started collapsing gradually, making it exceedingly difficult to spray water directly onto the flames. Because of the high temperature, one wall of the factory also collapsed.

Considering the seriousness of the situation, a JCB machine was brought in. Using the JCB, the factory walls were broken from both sides, and the tin shed was removed so that firefighters could reach the fire directly and conduct firefighting operations more effectively.

On the instructions of the Chief Fire Officer, additional fire tenders were called from nearby fire stations to control the blaze. Extra firefighting vehicles and officers arrived from the Vaishali, Sahibabad, Modinagar, and Loni fire stations. Fire engines and an articulating water tower were also brought from Hapur, Meerut, and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

In total, 20 fire tenders worked together to extinguish the fire. Firefighters surrounded the blaze from all sides and brought it under control after intense efforts. Their quick action also helped save around five to six nearby factories.

At present, fire department teams are still at the site and are continuing operations to completely extinguish the fire and conduct cooling measures. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined in the preliminary investigation. According to officials, the matter is under investigation.

–IANS

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