Malviya Nagar fire doused: Delhi officials get help from IAF to put out 'highest category blaze'

A major fire broke out in a rubber factory in New Delhi on Tuesday after a truck caught fire in the city's Malviya Nagar. About 80 fire tenders have been sent to douse the blaze that was finally put off with the Indian Air Force's help.

An ANI video showed Indian Air Force's MI 17 helicopter which was deployed for Bambi bucket operations. A Bambi Bucket is essentially a perfect collapsible bucket utilising a pilot control valve that can deliver a concentrated column of water from the helicopter to the fire. The development of Bambi bucket has been a breakthrough development after feedback from helicopter operators and Forest and Land Management agencies.

No casualties have been reported in the blaze so far. A fire official told IANS that a call to report the fire was received at 4.57 pm and nearly 30 tenders were initially rushed to the spot. "There have been no reports of any casualties far," he said, adding that the reason for the fire was yet to be ascertained.

Atul Garg, chief fire officer of the Delhi fire services, fell unconscious during the firefighting operations, Hindustan Times reported. "This fire was of the highest magnitude so far in this season. The fire started from a truck and spread to a godown of rubber and plastic raw material where the vehicle was parked. The godown is right behind Sant Nirankari Public School and had it occurred in the afternoon, evacuation of children would have been challenging as the area is congested," Garg said.

The fire also engulfed parts of a school building and a gymnasium, fire officials said, adding that plastic and raw materials stored at the factory fuelled the blaze. Aam Aadmi Party legislator Somnath Bharti also visited the spot, the report added.

Around 30 fire tenders were sent to douse the blaze in New Delhi. PTI

Buildings around the godown have been evacuated and the area was cordoned off, NDTV reported. Reaching the spot was difficult for the fire engines as the lanes in the area are very narrow and congested, officials reportedly said. One fire fighter has been injured during the operation.

A thick plume of smoke billowing out of the rubber godown could be easily seen from kilometres away in southeast Delhi, reports said.