A fire broke out near an underground gas pipeline at Bhanpur Bridge in Bhopal on Saturday, prompting a rapid response from the municipal fire brigade and a precautionary shutdown of gas supply. The blaze was brought under control within 15 to 20 minutes, while supply was later restored in phases.
The incident triggered panic among residents and commuters in the area after garbage and other materials near the pipeline caught fire in the afternoon. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation fire brigade sent one fire tender to the site after receiving information about the blaze, according to fire brigade in-charge Saurabh Patel.
Patel said the fire was swiftly extinguished and that the response team worked to prevent the flames from spreading near the underground gas line. The supply was shut off as a safety measure while the situation was assessed and emergency work was carried out.
Think Gas, the company operating the pipeline, said its emergency response team reached the site immediately and took the necessary safety measures. The company also initiated repair and restoration work after the fire was brought under control.
Gas supply was subsequently restored in a phased manner, Think Gas said. The company did not report any interruption beyond the precautionary shutdown described in its statement, and the supplied report did not mention injuries or damage to nearby buildings.
Preliminary information suggested that unidentified individuals may have caused the fire by burning garbage or debris close to the pipeline. Think Gas said the exact cause and circumstances were still under investigation, making the source of ignition unconfirmed at the time of reporting.
The incident highlights the operational challenge of managing combustible waste and other materials around buried utility infrastructure in busy urban areas. At Bhanpur Bridge, the fire occurred in a location used by both local residents and commuters, increasing the immediate public-safety concern even though the flames were controlled quickly.
Think Gas said it would file a police complaint against unknown persons to facilitate an investigation into the incident. The police complaint and the ongoing inquiry are expected to establish how the fire began and whether any person was responsible for burning material near the pipeline.
