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Worli blaze a wake-up call for us to be ready for chemical hazards: Mumbai Fire Brigade

The fire department said there wasn't any hazardous material — chemical or nuclear — in the building but the wall panelling at the industrial unit gave off thick toxic smoke, for which the firemen were not prepared.

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The day after: Sadhana Industrial Estate
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A fire at Sadhana Industrial Estate, located next to BDD Chawl in Worli on Saturday, left 16 firemen gasping for air.

The fire department said there wasn't any hazardous material — chemical or nuclear — in the building but the wall panelling at the industrial unit gave off thick toxic smoke, for which the firemen were not prepared. The incident underscored how the appropriate procedures have to be strictly followed in situations such as this, which has served as a wake-up call for the fire brigade.

The Level IV fire was reported around 4.45 pm on Saturday, and the fire brigade pressed 14 fire engines into service to douse the flames. But the thick foam and airtight rooms obstructed the efforts of the firefighters dousing the flames, causing suffocation for them.

Abhay Choudhari, deputy chief fire officer of the Mumbai Fire Brigade, said, "Saturday's incident wasn't a chemical disaster. It was a regular fire but the production room where life-saving drugs are manufactured is completely insulated to keep out humidity, viruses and bacteria. Nitrile rubber, which is used for insulation, and polyurethane foam which is used for panelling of the units, thickened the smoke."

There is an SOP for chemical or nuclear disasters, but this incident was treated as a regular fire incident. "Most of the firemen who were trying to enter the premises suffered suffocation while dousing the fire," said a witness.

But chief fire officer Prabhat Rahangdale said: "We had self-contained breathing apparatus ready. There were additional sets as well as refilling facilities. We followed the standard operating procedure, so there wasn't a major incident and the fire was contained in time." He added, " The smoke was thick. Many locals residing nearby also faced problems because of it."

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