Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A massive fire broke out late Sunday night at the Garbage Transfer Station (GTS) in the Anna Nagar area, triggering panic among residents and raising serious concerns over alleged negligence by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC).
According to officials, the fire erupted around 1:00 AM at the facility, where a large quantity of fabric waste from the Textile Recovery Facility (TRF) had been lying for nearly a month.
The blaze quickly spread through heaps of cloth and other waste material, engulfing the fabric recycling unit operating at the site.
The recycling unit, reportedly functioning under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and valued at around ₹25 lakh, was completely destroyed.
Officials said nearly 150 tonnes of stored fabric waste caught fire, intensifying the scale of the incident.
Sources revealed that the municipal corporation had issued a notice nearly 15 days ago to restart the recycling unit, which had remained non-operational for some time. However, before any action could be taken, the accumulated waste turned into fuel for the blaze.
The flames also destroyed the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at the site, further compounding the damage.
As the fire spread, chaos gripped the surrounding area.
A heavy police force was deployed to maintain order and ensure safety. Fire brigade teams rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the alert and launched an extensive firefighting operation.
At least four fire tenders and around 15 water tankers were deployed to bring the blaze under control. Firefighters battled the flames for several hours.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown.
Authorities are working to control the situation and will initiate an investigation to determine the origin of the blaze.
No casualties have been reported so far.
