TIRUPATTUR: A massive fire broke out at a municipality dump yard adjacent to Tirupattur-Krishnagiri Main Road near Pa Vu Sa Nagar around 1 pm on Saturday. sending out thick billows of smoke that completely shrouded the nearby roads and the residential area.
The incident caused significant inconveniences to the residents, a few of whom had evacuated their homes. Motorists were forced to navigate the nearby roads with their headlights on and with a heightened concern about the risk of accidents. The cause of the fire accident was not determined at the time of reporting. A lack of adequate supply of water impeded the initial attempts of fire and rescue services personnel, who later sourced it from the municipality.
Local residents mentioned recurrent instances of smaller fires at the dumping ground, despite the presence of machines for handling the wastes. Parthiban Sukumaran (47), a nearby resident, said, "I evacuated my family to ensure their safety amidst the thick smoke. The relocation of the dumping ground to a non-residential area has been a long-standing demand." He said that elderly persons constitute around 40 per cent of the residents in the area and that the recurring fires exacerbated respiratory issues in them, urging the municipality to prioritise relocating the dump yard.
Tirupattur Municipality Commissioner told TNIE that the fire and rescue services personnel were halfway through their efforts to contain the fire. A police complaint has been filed to investigate the cause and measures would be kept in place to prevent the recurrence of such events, the commissioner added.