151110 India 2k cylinders burst in fire, 55 huts gutted
India Nov 09 2015 “Other”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
2k cylinders burst in fire, 55 huts gutted
Updated: 2015-11-11-03:21
Over 55 jhopris or huts were gutted to ashes in a massive fire here in the Banjara Basti, on Tuesday morning. A highly stressful fire-fighting operation took five to six hours to tame the fire as Banjara Basti is a centrally located area of Kota.
“Approximately 2,000 small cylinders burst during the fire, spreading the intensity of flames,” said Rakesh Vyas, fire officer, Municipal Corporation, Kota. “My first priority was to prevent any casualty from happening. People living in the huts did not want to leave behind their belongings. We had to use police force to make people vacate the huts as people refused to budge leaving their money and possessions behind despite there being fire all around,” he said. “I learnt that one of these persons who had been saving Rs 1 lakh for his child’s marriage lost it in the fire. People lost their jewellery along with all other possessions in the fire.”
“People living in this basti are very poor. After this incident of fire, they are left with just a set of clothes on their back,” said BJP MP Om Birla from Kota.
“After reaching the basti, I realised the intensity of the fire and rushed in 22 fire tenders. Two furniture godowns, residential colony of Sindhis, St Paul Primary School in the vicinity, added to my concern. I wanted to restrain and check the spread of fire, and to ensure as much, 40-45 fire personnel were deployed,” said Vyas.
The Banjara Basti has predominantly Maratha people staying, who are basically garbage collectors living in an illegal colony. Over 55 families were rendered homeless in the fire, Sunita Daga, ADM City, informed at the time of filing the report.
“These garbage collectors have made the area into a garbage godown, basically containing plastics and other stuff, which is highly inflammable. This incident was just waiting to happen,” said Brajesh Vijayvargia, an environmentalist and activist with Jal Biradari. The recent drive of ‘clean and green Kota’ had no doubt added to the inflammables, he said.
“The fire was caused by fire crackers being burnt by the children of the garbage collectors,” said Vyas.
“Smoke, noises of people yelling and chaos spread when a large number of gas cylinders burst,” said Prakash, who lives near the basti. “Casualties were less as residents of the colony are basically garbage collectors who leave in the morning for their work,” he said.
“Temporary arrangement has been made for the affected people of basti as they have nothing left with them,” said Om Birla. “I have ensured food from Bargaon Gurudawara, clothes from Nishulk Paridhan Uphar Kendra (run by Om Birla) and stay at Hemu Kalani Samudayik Home near basti,” added Birla.
Web Source: THE TIMES OF INDIA
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/2k-cylinders-burst-in-fire-55-huts-gutted/articleshow/49742728.cms