Daman, 5/1 : A massive fire erupted on Monday afternoon at two packaging companies in the Dabhel industrial area of Daman, part of the Union Territory of Daman, Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, leading to extensive damage and a prolonged firefighting operation. While no casualties have been reported, one plant was completely gutted in the blaze, and a second suffered significant destruction, with a third factory partially affected.
The incident, which saw thick plumes of smoke billowing across the region, began around 11:45 AM. Initial reports suggest the fire originated at the Total Packaging Company, possibly due to a short circuit. The situation was exacerbated by an explosion of a chemical drum within the premises and strong winds, which rapidly spread the flames to the adjacent Ace Packaging Company. Both units were engaged in manufacturing plastic materials for domestic use, which are highly combustible, contributing to the rapid escalation of the fire.
Upon receiving the alert, fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the scene. Fire Officer Rajesh Marge of Daman confirmed the severity of the situation, stating that when emergency services arrived, a major fire had engulfed the entire industry. Initially, seven fire tenders were deployed, but due to the intensity and spread of the inferno, a ‘brigade call’ was issued. This led to the deployment of approximately 15 fire brigade vehicles from Daman, Silvassa, Vapi, and Sarigam in Gujarat, along with support from private companies, to bring the raging fire under control.
Ashok Patel, a member of the Daman District Panchayat, highlighted the challenges faced by firefighters due to the strong winds, which made it difficult to contain the blaze from spreading from one unit to another. Firefighting operations continued for several hours, with efforts focused on dousing the flames and preventing further spread to nearby industrial units.
Authorities have confirmed that all workers managed to evacuate safely, and fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far. However, the fire has resulted in the destruction of raw materials worth crores of rupees and expensive machinery in the affected packaging units. Cooling operations are currently underway, and a thorough investigation has been ordered by the administration to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and the full extent of the damage. More information is awaited as the situation is fully brought under control.
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