Bhayandar: Machinery and raw materials worth lakh of rupees was gutted in a major fire at a nail polish manufacturing unit in Bhayandar (E) early on Friday. No casualties were reported. The incident has brought to the fore the need to put adequate measures and much-needed licensing mechanism to ensure proper fire fighting apparatus in place. According to police, the fire broke out at 5am at an industrial unit in MI Udyog Nagar in Bhayandar (E) which makes nail polish and other cosmetic items.
Four fire tenders took more than three hours to control the blaze. Although the exact reason was yet to be ascertained, fire officers suspect a short-circuit as the reason behind the incident. While a case was registered, an investigation was on to ascertain if there was any negligence or illegalities triggering the incident. “Most major fires could have been avoided if the structures’ internal firefighting system was maintained properly. Unfortunately, we have no proper mechanism here to monitor the status of fire safety equipment, especially old structures and industrial establishments,” revealed a retired a civic official, emphasising an urgent need to create a culture of safety and accountability.
