20140903 Nepal Fire engulfs Birgunj customs godown
Nepal Sep 03 2014 “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : more than 70 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Fire engulfs Birgunj customs godown
Updated: 2014-09-03-23:27
BIRGUNJ: Property worth more than 100 million rupees was destroyed when a fire broke out in a godown of Birgunj customs today morning.
Police said the fire triggered by electric short-circuit had started as early as 2:00 am at the old godown yard in the west of the customs office premises.
“As soon as it dawned upon me that there was an electric short circuit, I switched the mains off but to no avail as the godown was in flames in no time,” said Dal Bahadur Pariyar, a security guard.
“We had an assortment of items from sunflower oil, motorbikes to gas cylinders for refrigerators in the godown, and perhaps it was because there were easily combustible gas and the oil kept in the godown that the fire spread so fast,” informed customs officer Gunaraj Subedi.
“The blaze was raging and it seemed the fire brigades and security personnel wouldn’t be able to bring it under control. However, we pulled down the wall of the godown at places and were able to prevent more damage,” said SP Diwesh Lohani, adding security forces from district police office, border security force and Nepali Army Barakh Battalion, along with five fire brigades were involved in controlling the fire from 3:00 am.
Besides the fire brigade of the sub-metropolis, four other fire brigades from Kalaiya, Hetauda and Nepal Oil Corporation were deployed to control the fire.
Meanwhile, the police have said they are yet to work out the final details of the damage caused by the fire that was brought under control only after nine hours.
Websource:The Himalayan times
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Fire+engulfs+Birgunj+customs+godown+&NewsID=426342