A fire at an allegedly illegal nail polish manufacturing unit in a residential area of Deoghar triggered repeated explosions early Thursday, forcing residents out of their homes and prompting a three-and-a-half-hour firefighting operation. No deaths or injuries were reported, officials said.
The blaze broke out around 5 am near the ‘sindoor’ factory in Deoghar. Drums containing spirit and other inflammable chemicals exploded one after another as the fire spread through the premises, sending thick smoke into the sky and debris across the neighbourhood. Eyewitnesses said more than 15 drums containing spirit and other chemicals had been stored inside the unit.
Fire officer Gopal Prasad Yadav, who led the operation, said four fire tenders and 15 firefighters were deployed to control the blaze. The team used water and aqua film forming foam, or AFFF, during the operation. Firefighters brought the flames under control after nearly three-and-a-half hours, according to Yadav.
The incident also required a police response because of the explosions and the presence of residents in the surrounding area. Om Sharan, sub-inspector at the Town police station, said police personnel assisted the firefighters and maintained law and order during the operation.
A preliminary assessment pointed to a possible short circuit, but authorities said the exact cause had not been established. “Preliminary findings suggest a short circuit may have triggered the blaze, though the exact cause is yet to be established,” Sharan said.
Residents alleged that the chemical-based manufacturing unit had been operating in the densely populated residential area for six to seven years without legal authorisation. The allegation places the fire within a wider question of how chemical-handling units are permitted to operate in residential neighbourhoods, although authorities have not yet announced a final finding on the unit’s legal status.
The case has been referred for further investigation. Deoghar Superintendent of Police Praveen Pushkar said appropriate action would be taken after the probe. The investigation is expected to examine the cause of the fire, the storage of inflammable chemicals at the premises and the allegations regarding the unit’s operation in the residential area.
