A major fire broke out at Singhal Industries in the Santej industrial area near Karoli, close to the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar border, prompting a large-scale firefighting operation and the deployment of fire tenders from several nearby centres. No casualties have been reported so far, although officials said a detailed inspection would be required to establish the exact cause of the blaze and confirm the situation inside the factory.
The fire spread rapidly through the packaging company’s premises after foam sheets and other highly combustible materials caught fire. Thick black smoke rose from the site and was visible from a considerable distance, triggering panic among workers and people in the surrounding area.
Workers and employees were inside the factory when the fire erupted and scrambled to evacuate the premises. Santej police inspector S R Chaudhary said police immediately sent a team to the factory after receiving information about the incident. He said the possibility of casualties could be assessed only after officials completed a detailed inspection of the site.
Kalol fire brigade declared the incident a major fire and initially deployed three fire tenders. Two vehicles were sent from Kadi and two fire tenders were dispatched from Gandhinagar as the blaze intensified. Authorities also requisitioned additional fire tenders from Mansa, Ahmedabad and Vadsar to strengthen the response.
Officials, including the local mamlatdar, reached the factory to monitor the operation and coordinate the emergency response. Police and other authorities cordoned off the surrounding area as a precautionary measure while firefighting teams worked to contain the blaze.
The fire continued to be brought under control when the report was filed. Authorities were expected to conduct a detailed assessment after the firefighting operation, including an examination of the factory premises and the circumstances that led to the fire.
