Firefighters were called to douse the flames at a major fire at India’s Central Warehousing Corporation in Mumbai’s Turbhe area recently.

Express news service : Mumbai

A major fire broke out in a godown in Navi Mumbai’s Turbhe area on Wednesday morning. The incident took place at the Central Warehousing Corporation godown in Sector 20. The fire also led to a chemical leak in the area.

Fire officials said they received a call around 10 am on Wednesday, after which fire tenders were rushed to the spot. “The employees escaped when the fire broke. We tried dousing the flames as fast as we could,” said a fire official.

The official said while they were trying to douse the flames, bystanders began coughing while some complained of respiratory problems.

“It was then that we inquired and realised that sulphur was stored on the premises. We got trucks filled with sand to douse the flames and told bystanders not to stand close to the godown,” the officer said.

The fire was extinguished five hours after it broke out. Four persons who were standing close to the area were rushed to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Hospital in Vashi after they complained of respiratory problems.

Doctors at the hospital said while the condition of those who were rushed to the hospital is stable, they are suffering from eye infections, coughs and breathing problems as a result of inhaling the sulphur dioxide fumes.

Navi Mumbai’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Purushottam Karad said the police are speaking to members of the Pollution Control Board to ascertain the damage caused.

“We cannot comment on the issue, as only experts from the Pollution Control Board will be able to say if the area is safe or not. We have registered an accidental fire report and are probing the matter further,” said Karad.

An accidental fire report has been registered at APMC police station, where officers have said they are probing the matter to ascertain the damage caused.

Points to consider:

As the fire crews bought the blaze under control, bystanders began coughing and complaining of respiratory problems. They were later diagnosed with inhaling the toxic fumes; when it was determined that sulfur dioxide was stored on the premises and was involved in the fire. Consider that hazards in firefighting may result from a single exposure, which includes materials that can undergo chemical change and those materials that may react violently with water. Be aware that sulfur dioxide (UN 1079) reacts with chlorates to form chlorine, which may become explosive at elevated temperatures. It forms sulfuric acid solutions with water, and is corrosive and irritating to the skin causing acid-like burns. For general operating procedures refer o the Emergency Response Guidebook, guide # 125.