A petrol pump in one of the busiest areas of Surat caught fire on Monday afternoon.
Fire department’s immediate response, however, averted a major tragedy, though the entire petrol pump was gutted in the inferno. No casualties were reported. However, one major lapse that came to the fore during the melee was that the petrol pump was operating without a proper fire extinguishing system.
The incident took place at Market Auto Centre at a petrol station of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) located in Saiyedpura near Bhagal at 2 pm on Monday. A spark erupted while petrol was being transferred from petrol tanker into under-ground storage tank.
The fuel caught fire and soon it engulfed the entire station.
Owners immediately informed the fire department officials who rushed to the spot. Fifteen fire-fighting vehicles took more than three hours to douse the flames.
Eventually, the entire pump turned into ashes.
Along with the pump, the petrol tanker also caught fire which worsened the situation.
However, alertness and presence of mind from the tanker driver helped in handling the situation in a much better manner. Shyam Singh, who was driving the tanker for more than a kilometer halted near Bhagal crossroads. Fire-fighters rushed to the spot to extinguish the fire.
The incident enraged local residents who gathered at the pump and raised slogans against the pump owners, demanding strict action from police against them. When the situation was getting out of control, police had to resort to light lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. Pankaj Patel, chief fire officer said, “We believe that the spark erupted due to some friction and resulted into fire. There is also a chance that petrol might be leaking from the tanker and exposed to some flammable content. We are probing into the incident.”
Fire extinguishing equipment kept in petrol pump was not in working condition, said Patel. Had they been working, fire could have been controlled much earlier, he added. A youth identified as Mohammad Sarfaraz sustained minor burns on his left palm. Two other vehicles were slightly damaged in the fire.
