Chaos ensued on Zoom Hotel Road, near the scrap market (Mian Market), on Thursday morning when a massive pile of scrap lying there suddenly burst into a ferocious blaze. In a matter of moments, the fire intensified to such a terrifying magnitude that its towering flames began to rise 20 to 25 feet into the sky. The fury of the fire was so intense that it engulfed and set ablaze a truck and a crane parked along the roadside.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 5:00 AM on Thursday. The sight of billowing clouds of black smoke rising into the sky, accompanied by towering flames, created an uproar throughout the locality. Panicked residents immediately rushed out of their homes and began their own efforts to extinguish the fire by dousing it with water; however, fueled by dry wood and combustible scrap materials, the fire spread rapidly in all directions in the blink of an eye. An eyewitness named Rahul recounted that he was woken up early in the morning by sudden screams and commotion coming from the market. In the initial moments, residents suspected that a major explosion had occurred in a nearby electrical transformer. However, upon reaching the scene, they discovered that the fire was smoldering within the massive pile of scrap. The heat and flames were so fierce that people could not even muster the courage to approach the site. A palpable fear gripped the residents that the scrap pile—or perhaps the transformer—might contain explosive materials capable of triggering a massive blast that could engulf the entire neighborhood.
Given the escalating danger, the fire brigade was immediately alerted. Upon receiving the information, four to five fire tenders from the fire department rushed to the scene with sirens blaring. Given the severity of the blaze, immediate backup was summoned, and water jets were deployed from all sides with the assistance of over ten water tankers and specialized vehicles. Putting their lives on the line, firefighters finally managed to bring the raging inferno under control after nearly two and a half hours of arduous and intense effort.
Fortunately, the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, thereby averting any loss of life. However, a crane, a truck, and valuable scrap worth hundreds of thousands of rupees were completely reduced to ashes in this massive fire. While the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time, teams from the police administration and the fire department have launched a meticulous investigation into the matter to ascertain whether any foul play was involved.
