Fire Erupts at BHEL Plant in Bhopal: Safety Under Scrutiny

A fire incident at Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd's Bhopal facility was promptly controlled without injuries or significant property loss. Two fire tenders managed the blaze at the waste dump near gate number 9. Safety checks are underway to determine the cause, sparking safety protocol reviews.

A fire erupted on Thursday at the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) plant in Bhopal, with officials confirming there were no injuries reported. The fire, which ignited at the facility around 11:40 am, was located near a waste dump close to gate number 9.

According to BHEL's Public Relations Officer Vinodanand Jha, two fire tenders quickly responded to the scene, which is about a kilometer from the main facility building. As a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking, BHEL assured that the damage was minimal since it was confined to a waste area.

By 2:00 pm, the blaze was completely extinguished. Jha mentioned that the company's safety committee would investigate the cause. Bhopal's Fire Officer, Saurabh Patel, noted that initial assessments suggest carelessness with a cigarette or bidi sparked the fire. MP Sports and Cooperative Minister Vishvas Sarang visited the site to ensure proper measures are enacted to prevent a recurrence, especially given the intense heat conditions.

(With inputs from agencies.)