Surat: A fire broke out in a scrap warehouse near Bardoli in Surat district early Monday morning and spread to three others before it was extinguished. The fire was later reignited by wind and spread to at least 10 scrap warehouses, turning them into ashes. A fire officer, Pragnesh Gadhvi, suffered minor injuries during the firefighting operation. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident as no one was in the warehouse when the fire began.District fire officials got an emergency call at around 2.30am. The fire spread to four adjacent warehouses and fire teams controlled the first blaze by 4.30am. However, strong winds reignited the fire, causing it to spread to other warehouses.The intensity of the blaze was such that thick smoke was visible from as far as two kilometres away. Police and administrative officials also arrived at the scene to manage the situation. The fire was challenging to control due to the large quantities of plastic stored in the warehouses. Plastic contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Firefighting teams from Bardoli, Kamrej, Vyara and nearby industrial areas worked continuously to douse the flames with water.Around 15 firefighting vehicles were dispatched to the scene and approximately 100 firefighters and officials were involved in the operation. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown and investigations are underway.The fire was finally brought under control by noon, but cooling operations continued until Monday evening to prevent further flare-ups. The swift response and efforts of the fire services were crucial in preventing loss of life and minimizing damage. An investigation is underway to determine the initial cause of the fire.
