Firemen battle biggest fire without casualties

“This is the biggest fire accident we have battled without any casualties,” said Shahul Hameed, Joint Director, Fire and Rescue Services, Northern Region. Elaborating on the resources, the official added, “We had 400 people from our department working in shifts and 40 vehicles, including two sky-lifts, water pumps, lorries, emergency rescue vehicles and quick response vehicles. The moment we got the call, we sent out our vehicles, including a sky-lift, with a 54 metre platform. The sky lift helped us rescue 14 people by 7 am on Wednesday, hours after the fire had started in the basement.” 

An official said, “There was no setback area for the firefighters. Seven firemen equipped with breathing apparatus, entered the basement. There were no smoke exhausts and no way to find the seat of the fire. They had to retreat since there were combustible objects bursting. Within three hours, the roof of the basement had collapsed. 

There were no external staircases for the firemen to tackle the blaze from outside. In the end, we had to use drilling machines and earth movers to make openings on the exterior wall for ventilation,” said the source. 

“By Wednesday noon, residents living around the area were evacuated,” said another fireman, while taking a break. The situation became tense when more than 12 hours later, the fire wasn’t under control. Hameed, who was present at the location at 3 am on June 1, recalled the time when parts of the structure collapsed. “It was around 3.10 am and there was a loud sound. A few cross-sections of the building had started falling, due to the intense heat and pressure. The first thought was to withdraw our men and ensure the safety of the response vehicles,” said the official, who was heading the operations. 

By the evening of June 1, the fire was doused, except for small flares around the building. An official, who didn’t want to be named, said, “Once the openings were made in the walls, the smoke billowed out and the fire could be controlled. As many as 60 water tankers from Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board were used.” 

A team from the department is on a standby, to deal with the flares, even as demolition is under way. Despite the handicaps and challenges, the firefighters doused the fire, without casualties. While that is certainly an achievement, it was just another day in the office for the firemen!