Jalandhar: A massive fire broke out at a potato cold storage located on the Jalandhar–Amritsar highway near Pritam Nagar in Kartarpur on Thursday, triggering panic in the area.
Fire officials said around 10 fire tenders from Jalandhar were pressed into service to douse the blaze. Due to the intensity of the fire, firefighters had to climb partially constructed buildings nearby to spray water from an elevated position.
The three-storey cold storage was engulfed in flames, with fire tongues rising nearly 50 feet into the air, making firefighting operations challenging. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from the structure for several kilometres.
Personnel from Punjab Fire Services and the Punjab Police reached the spot soon after the incident was reported. Kartarpur police station officials said no casualties were reported as the cold storage was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained and will be determined after the fire is completely brought under control, police said.
The fire led to chaos in the area, with commuters on the busy highway stopping their vehicles to record videos of the incident. Locals said passersby were the first to notice the fire and alert authorities as flames intensified and smoke filled the sky.
Firefighting operations were continuing at the time of filing this report.
