A massive fire broke out in a fireworks godown at around 8 pm on Monday night in the old and sparsely populated Marwadi street of Hingoli city in Hingoli district of Maharashtra. Two people died and seven were injured in the continuous explosions during the fire. Nearby houses and vehicles parked on the road were damaged due to the fire and explosions. During the operation to extinguish the fire, a fire brigade vehicle also got damaged in the fire.
After the fire, the firecrackers kept in the godown started exploding one after another. The loud noise of the explosions and flames spread panic among the nearby residents. Local people tried to move to a safe place while fire brigade and emergency services teams reached the spot.
According to officials, the fire spread quickly and properties surrounding the godown were also affected. Many houses were damaged and many two-wheelers parked in the narrow street also got caught in the fire.
Officials have confirmed the death of two people in the incident. Due to the intensity of the fire and explosion, both the bodies were seriously burnt. Therefore he could not be identified immediately.
Officials had said that necessary procedures are being conducted to identify the dead. The injured have been shifted to the hospital for treatment. Detailed medical information regarding his condition has not been given yet.
Seven other people were injured in the incident. Apart from the people present nearby during the fire and explosion, the people involved in the rescue operations are also likely to have been affected.
The injured were taken to local health centers and hospitals, where they are undergoing treatment. Detailed information regarding the condition of the injured and the seriousness of their injuries has not yet been revealed by the administration.
This area of Hingoli city is populated by Juno and Gich. The roads and streets in Marwari Gali are relatively narrow. Due to which the fire brigade vehicles did not get enough space to reach the spot and extinguish the fire.
According to officials, problems also arose due to the crowd during the fire extinguishing operation. A large number of people had gathered around the incident site, due to which emergency services found it difficult to operate. Fire brigade personnel tried to control the fire amid continuous firecracker explosions.
During the fire extinguishing operation, a vehicle of the Civil Fire Brigade, which reached the spot, also got caught in the fire. According to officials, the vehicle was seriously affected by the fire. Keeping in mind the seriousness of the incident, electricity supply to the surrounding area was also stopped. The administration had increased safety measures to control the fire and prevent additional damage.
Due to continuous explosions of firecrackers, the flames had reached the surrounding area. Officials said that many houses were damaged. Two-wheelers parked in the narrow lane were also affected by the fire. The local administration is assessing the damage. The extent of damage caused to the structures of nearby buildings due to the fire and whether there is a need to evacuate any other area is also being investigated.
Officials have said that the actual cause of the fire will be determined after the firefighting operation is completed. At present it is not clear what caused the fire in the godown.
During the investigation, the storage of firecrackers, security arrangements and other conditions in the godown can also be reviewed. If any negligence is found, there is a possibility of action being taken against the concerned people.
At present, the priority of the administration is to completely control the fire and ensure that no other untoward incident occurs in the area.
This incident has raised questions regarding the storage and security arrangements of firecrackers in the heavily populated residential area. Due to the risk of explosion in firecrackers, special safety measures are necessary for their storage. If such inflammable materials are stored in a populated area, the risk to nearby people and property may increase in case of fire.
In the Hingoli incident, not only the godown was affected, but nearby houses and vehicles were also damaged. The damage to the fire brigade vehicle also makes it clear how challenging the rescue operation must have been.
According to officials, a detailed investigation of the incident will be conducted after the fire is completely controlled. This may include investigation of the source of the fire, the quantity of fireworks stored in the godown, storage arrangements and safety standards. It will also be clarified whether the firecrackers were stored in the godown as per the prescribed rules or not.
Currently, two people have been confirmed dead and seven injured in the incident. The process of identifying the dead is underway, while the administration is monitoring the condition of the affected families and the injured.
This incident in Hingoli has once again raised questions about how effectively safety rules related to storage of inflammable and explosive materials are being followed, especially in areas where large number of people live.