2 workers injured, 500 evacuated after massive fire guts labour camp outside Lucknow airport; watch | Lucknow News
LUCKNOW: At least two workers were injured while evacuating a three-storey makeshift labour camp after a major fire engulfed the structure outside Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport on Tuesday morning.The blaze broke out around 6.50am at the Tata Projects labour colony, about 800 metres from the airport. The PVC-panel structure housed workers engaged in ongoing airport development projects. Thick smoke and flames were visible from several kilometres away, triggering panic in the area.The injured workers were identified as Nirmal, 30, son of Mukhiya, a resident of Saharsa in Bihar, and Rahul Kumar, 26, son of Bhagwati Din Pal, a resident of Salipur in Pratapgarh. Both were taken for medical attention. The Fire Department said neither had sustained burn injuries.The camp had 33 rooms, with 11 on each floor, and could accommodate around 500 workers deployed in round-the-clock shifts. The fire spread rapidly through the combustible panels and engulfed the structure within minutes. Officials did not specify how many workers were present when the fire broke out.The Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting team immediately dispatched a Domestic Fire Tender to the site, while a Crash Fire Tender from the airport and fire tenders from the Uttar Pradesh Fire Service were also deployed. All workers were evacuated safely, officials said.A newly introduced 22,000-litre water bowser was among the fire tenders deployed by the UP Fire Service headquarters. Firefighters climbed to the first and second floors to tackle the flames from close quarters. Two LPG cylinders exploded during the operation, increasing the risk to the firefighting teams.The blaze was brought under control in about 45 minutes and was prevented from spreading to nearby areas. Chief Fire Officer Ankush Mittal reached the site and supervised the operation.An inspection later indicated that the fire started in Barrack 9 while food was being prepared. The temporary structure was completely damaged.“Initial findings shared by Tata Projects indicate that the fire started while some labourers were preparing food using LPG cylinders. The company provides meals for its workers, and the use of flammable materials or unauthorised cooking arrangements within the labour colony is prohibited. Workers had been repeatedly instructed to follow these safety guidelines,” said an official source.Following the incident, Tata Projects shifted all affected workers to newly arranged barracks and shelters as a precautionary measure.
