Fire at Semmencheri ground destroys 8 condemned buses

Sources said that there were 32 condemned vehicles parked on the ground. Fire from a garbage mound in a residential area near the parking lot spread to the buses around 11 pm and in no time, it engulfed 8 buses. 

Four fire engines, one each from Sirurseri, Thoraipakkam, Tirukazhukundram and Maraimalainagar fought the flames for more than three hours. 

“All the buses parked on the ground were condemned vehicles. The signage at the entrance of the ground read Sri Lakshmi Saraswathi Motors. None of these buses were in usable condition and most of them did not even have engines,” a fire service official said.

Earlier, some passers-by spotted smoke emanating from the ground and had informed the Fire Service personnel. Semmencheri police have registered a case and further investigations are on. Burning of garbage has been a major reason for fire accidents in the city, especially during summer. Fire Service personnel had been conducting awareness programmes, requesting people not to burn garbage near residential and industrial premises.