LIVE: At least 20 dead in major fire at Army’s biggest ammunition depot in Pulgaon

[Kshatriya87]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...ion-depot-pulgaon-wardha-maharashtra-2826707/

At least 20 people were killed, including two Army officials, and several injured after a fire broke out at the Central Ammunition Depot in Pulgaon, Wardha district in Maharashtra. Seventeen Defence Security Corp (DSC) jawans were injured in the blaze, some of them critically, an Army officer said.

The area has been cordoned off and nobody is being allowed to enter the premises. Sources said residents of nearby villages have been evacuated and Army helicopters pressed into service to help in the evacuation of the injured security personnel.

Watch: Two Officers, 15 Jawans Killed In Army Depot Inferno

The central ammunition depot at Pulgaon is one India’s biggest ammunition depot. It’s located around 110 km from Nagpur. It recently got an award for using solar energy for disposing expired ammunition.

Here are the LIVE updates:

1:37 pm:

11:35 pm: SIT constituted, Manohar Parrikar to visit site of accident.

11:17 am: Army Chief General Dalbir Singh leaves for Pulgaon.

11:13 am: Unfortunate incident. I’ve been given to understand that Defence Minister will be visiting site: Jitendra Singh (MoS PMO).

11:09 am:

11:08 am: Unfortunate incident. We have suffered huge loss of lives & property.Have directed distt officials to extend whatever help possible: Devendra Fadnavis.

11:00 am:

11:00 am:

10:55 am: At least 20 killed in the fire at Pulgaon.

Injured jawans being treated at a hospital. (Source: ANI)
10:48 am: At least 19 security personnel were injured in the fire that has spread to number of sheds that houses ammunition, bombs and other explosive items.

10:28 am: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar likely to visit Central ammunition Depot in Pulgaon (Maharashtra) where fire broke out last night.

10:16 am: Wardha Collector Shailesh Naval told The Indian Express, “Though a small fire is still on, there is apparently no further damage expected. Five villages around CAD, placed in the close vicinity, were evacuated immediately but as soon as the danger subsided, the villagers were restored back to their respective places.”

DSC jawans admitted to hospital. (Source: ANI)
10:15 am: CAD Pulgaon stores ammunition required for a huge range of arms from BrahMos missile to AK-47.

10:15 am: CAD Pulgaon is the biggest ammunition depot in the country and caters to the entire western sector of the army.

9:43 am: However, secondary fire and explosions have not been ruled out and precautions are being taken to control the fire.

9:43 am: The main site of the inferno, which is a shed which caught on fire, has been extinguished and attempts are being made to stabilise the situation.



9:41 am: Sources: Fire broke out between 1.30 to 2 am. 2 officers and 17 DSC injured. Fire fighting on.

9:37 am: 8 people killed and several injured in fire.

9:28 am: Main fire extinguished and situation is being stabilised.

9:27 am: Nearby villages evacuated.

9:25 am: Apart from being one of largest Indian Army ammunition depots, CAD Pulgaon also disposes off ammunition whose shelf life has expired.

9:10 am: 19 feared injured after fire breaks out in a military ammunition depot in Pulgaon, Wardha district.

(With inputs from ENS and agencies)


- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/in...dha-maharashtra-2826707/#sthash.SD6eW4mO.dpuf

 

[Kshatriya87]

Pulgaon ammo dump fire: India's armories are under severe stress

Around 20 people, including an officer of the rank of Lt Colonel, were killed and several injured in a major fire in India's biggest ammunition depot located in Pulgaon, 110 km from Nagpur in Maharashtra. Catering to Army's ammunition needs in the western sector, Pulgaon is home to the biggest stockpile of weapons including Brahmos missiles.

The fire, at the depot in Wardha district is now said to be limited to a small area and several surrounding villages have been evacuated with a Court of Inquiry ordered by the Army Chief, General Dalbir Singh Suhag. Quoting an Army officer, PTI reported that "secondary fire and explosions cannot be ruled out now". Television footage showed massive flames lighting up the night sky at Pulgaon where the central ammunition depot is located.

The blaze triggered multiple explosions, rocking houses in the area and forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000 people.

Two among the 20 dead were identified as Lt Col RS Pawar and Major K Manoj. The dead and injured soldiers belonged to the Defence Security Corp (DSC) that guards strategic defence installations.

Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar speaking with reporters on Pulgaon fire. Image courtesy: ANI/Twitter

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is slated to visit Pulgaon this afternoon. Incidentally, Parikkar was in Pune to meet villagers around another ammunition depot in Pimpri and Chinchwad. The villagers have been demanding that the sanitised area around the dump be reduced to allow them to build houses. In recent years, there have been several fires at ammunition depots with the last one in West Bengal's Panagarh which is also an IAF base, which was rocked by explosions in 2010.

In 2007, thousands of villagers living in Kashmir's Anantnag district were evacuated after a huge fire broke out at a depot, injuring at least 25 people.

But, it was a fire in 2000 at an ammunition depot in Bharatpur in Rajasthan that put our attention back on the handling of ammunition and the safety of civilians around such locations. However, in recent years the defence ministry has been under immense pressure from local politicians to relax norms on no-go-areas around these ammunition depots.

According to the Works of Defence Act 1903, the ministry of defence can issue notification for sensitive defence establishments, putting restrictions on construction activities carried out by civilians in a certain radius for safety reasons in case of accidents.

An article in The Indian Express on 17 May quoted Lok Sabha MP from Shirur, Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who raised the issue of Red Zone limits around Dighi Magazine Depot in the assembly claiming that the defence minister was positive about reducing the Outer Safety Distance (OSD) from 1,145 metres to 500 metres, but there was resistance from ministry officials.

Local people have demanded a reduction in the 2,000-yard limit of the Red Zone around Dehu Road ammunition depot and Dighi magazine depot as several people are living around these areas. Parikkar travelled to Pune on Tuesday to discuss the issue with local people when the Pulgaon ammunition dump caught fire.

While the Court of Inquiry will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of this fire serious questions are being raised about the security of civilians in surrounding areas. Coinciding with demands from residents of Pimpri and Chinchwad, an IAF ammunition depot in Gurgaon was also in news for similar demands.

Encroachments, with the complicity of local administration, have created a major security hazard around the Gurgaon IAF depot. Attempts to demolish tenements hugging the outer walls of the IAF depot faced strong protests as local politicians demanded demanding that norms be relaxed at the cost of safety of civilian population living around.

The IAF could not get the surrounding areas vacated and the matter went to the courts.

In March this year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the deputy commissioners (DCs) of Gurgaon and Faridabad to issue notices against those who have made constructions within 300 metre around the IAF ammunition depot Gurgaon and 100-metre around the air forces station in Faridabad.

The state government is in talks with private builders to provide alternate housing to people living near the IAF ammunition depot. The decision comes after Punjab and Haryana high court directed the Khattar government to remove all structures that lie within 300 metres of the depot.

The Hindu reported from the IAF ammunition in Gurgaon in February 2016: "surrounded by unauthorised buildings, security of 54 Air Stores Park, Air Force Station Ammunition Depot on Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road, could be a major concern for the authorities. Though no construction is allowed in a 900 meter radius around the IAF ammunition depot, houses - most of them with a second floor - rise above the concertina mesh on the depot's boundary wall. Though crucial for the IAF because of its strategic location near Delhi, the political patronage and a mix of civic indifference and collusion has allowed houses to be built deep inside the restricted zone of the depot."

 

[AnantS]

RIP! sabotage angle has to be probed also

 

[Kshatriya87]

RIP! sabotage angle has to be probed also

Absolutely. If you read the 2nd article, it says that previous fires have happened at different ammunition depots. I do not believe that defence personnel can be so negligent to let this happen again and again.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

That place has to be upgraded, Last time when it exploded i was there in cantt ..

CO was wounded on his leg, He was bleeding but didn't stay behind but went into action shoulder to shoulder with other officers and soldiers, There were no casualty back then, Unfortunately he was sacked ..

 

[Bornubus]

Rest in Peace.

_________________

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Bad news................................................

I hope proper investigation is done into the matter.

 

[Blackwater]

That place has to be upgraded, Last time when it exploded i was there in cantt ..

CO was wounded on his leg, He was bleeding but didn't stay behind but went into action shoulder to shoulder with other officers and soldiers, There were no casualty back then, Unfortunately he was sacked ..

not only this depot all ammo depo in the country should be state of art. right now they of the era of mangal pandey 1857 standard

 

[Bornubus]

Is this fire related to one store house or the entire premises ?

I've heard on news it is the main depot for Mines.

 

[ezsasa]

Parrikar had said that fire was contained within 100 mts and did not to spread to other sections within the compound. but 9000 acres is a huge area isn't it?

 

[3deffect]

now time to come for upgrade our ammunition depot .modi should think about it

 

[Kshatriya87]

Is this fire related to one store house or the entire premises ?

I've heard on news it is the main depot for Mines.

Not sure about mines but it is the biggest ammunition depot in the country. Some sources say its the biggest in Asia.

 

[Kshatriya87]

Fire razes arms depot

At least 17 security personnel, including two Army officers, were on Tuesday killed in a massive fire that broke out at one of Asia’s biggest ammunition depot in Maharashtra’s Pulgaon that houses the largest stockpile of weapons in the country.

Two officers, including a Lieutenant Colonel, and 15 Defence Security Corp (DSC) jawans were among those killed in the blaze that started around 2 AM, an Army officer said.

Also, at least 19 security personnel were injured in the fire that has spread to a number of sheds that houses ammunitions, bombs and other explosive items. Some of them with burn injuries are in a critical condition, he said.

Video footage showed the raging fire lighting up the night sky.

Following a directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is in Pune, has rushed to the spot. Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag has also headed for the site.

Modi tweeted, “Pained by loss of lives caused by a fire at central ammunition depot in Pulgaon, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with the bereaved families.

“I pray that those who are injured recover quickly. Have asked RM @manoharparrikar to visit the spot & take stock of the situation”, he said..

The injured were evacuated to the nearby military hospital in helicopters. Hundreds of families of nearby villages have been evacuated, officials said.

“The main fire at one of the sheds has been extinguished.

The situation is being stabilised. Secondary fire and explosions is in the process of being controlled,” the Army officer said refusing to go into the reasons of the fire.

Several fire engines were pressed into service to douse the fire.

Army has ordered an inquiry into the incident. “I am given to understand that Defence Minister will be visiting the site and this itself is an evidence of how serious and concerned is the Central government. My heart goes out to the families of jawans and officers killed and injured in the incident. The nation stands by them,” Minister of State in the PMO Jitender Singh said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said there has been “large scale destruction” of lives and what was kept in the ammunition depot. PTI

 

[Kshatriya87]

Just look at this pathetic headline given by NDTV. Disgusting.


Explosions At 'Mecca Of Ammunition' Leave A Temple Wrecked

 

[Kshatriya87]

No sabotage, cause to be known after inquiry: Manohar Parrikar on Pulgaon fire

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said there was no sabotage involved in the fire at the central ammunition depot at Pulgaon in the district but the exact cause would be known only after inquiry. "We are not ruling out any possibility but there is no sabotage as such," he told reporters here.

That sentence contradicts itself.

 

[Blackwater]

No sabotage, cause to be known after inquiry: Manohar Parrikar on Pulgaon fire

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said there was no sabotage involved in the fire at the central ammunition depot at Pulgaon in the district but the exact cause would be known only after inquiry. "We are not ruling out any possibility but there is no sabotage as such," he told reporters here.

That sentence contradicts itself.

I will tel you the reason:

1) Mangal Pandey 1857 era infrastructure of ammo depot around india

2) Carelessness

3)Corruption

4) Unknown and unheard of fire and safety measure by IA and GOI
:biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2:

 

[pmaitra]

Wish quick recovery to the injured. RIP to the deceased.

This is expected, given the heatwave going on, especially in drought hit Maharashtra. This is looks like an ammo cookoff at a massive scale.

 

[pmaitra]

Just look at this pathetic headline given by NDTV. Disgusting.


Explosions At 'Mecca Of Ammunition' Leave A Temple Wrecked

It's called eye catching title. News media use rhetoric to attract viewers.

 

[Razor]

Wish quick recovery to the injured. RIP to the deceased.

This is expected, given the heatwave going on, especially in drought hit Maharashtra. This is looks like an ammo cookoff at a massive scale.

Airconditioning??

One ammo depot I visited down south, had a giant fully airconditioned room (filled with "made in moldova" missiles.)

 

[Bahamut]

Let us hope after that new measure will be taken to make the storage more safe ..................................................................