Fire engulfs hosiery waste godown in Ludhiana

Ludhiana: A massive fire broke out at a hosiery waste godown at Tibba Road in Gopal Nagar here late Wednesday night. Clothing waste such as yarn, cotton and polyester were reduced to ashes, causing the fire to spread rapidly. It took firefighters six hours to bring the situation under control.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. However, fire officials suspect it might have been caused by a bonfire lit and left unattended by employees to beat the cold. At least six fire tenders had to be rushed in to douse the flames. Besides hosiery waste, two-wheelers and even household goods were gutted by the fire.
Subfire officer Aatish Rai said they were informed about the incident around 11.30pm. By the time they reached the spot, the fire had spread. Firefighters had a tough time navigating through the rows and columns of warehouses where the hosiery godown is located. Practically every house there keeps hosiery waste, but without any fire safety arrangement. Hosiery waste is also kept in the open in the area, making it the perfect recipe for a fire disaster.
Despite several fire incidents in the past, nothing has been done to address the issue. Former MLA Sanjay Talwar had also raised the issue with the deputy commissioner and municipal council commissioner, but to no avail.