New Tharagupet, a labyrinth of narrow streets, gets challenging for vehicle users even in the best of times. Adding to the congestion are goods vehicles blocking the roads.
Yet, firefighters were able to reach the blast site within five minutes of receiving the first phone call. And that was in spite of a wheel of the fire tender getting punctured.
How did they do it?
According to police, the blast occurred around 12.05 pm. The fire department received the first phone call, from a passerby named R Suresh.
Six firemen led by B M Shekhar, District Fire Officer (North), set out for the blast site from the North Fire Station, located near the City Armed Reserve (CAR) ground, Mysuru Road. They drove in a mini water tanker.
Negotiating bumpy roads and chaotic traffic, the team had almost reached the blast site when one of the front tyres of the tanker got punctured and turned flat on the main road, about 150 metres away.
But instead of calling another fire tender, fireman-cum-driver Yamanappa T C tactfully drove the 4,500-litre punctured water tanker as close as possible to the blast site.
The team was at the blast site at 12.13 pm. It quickly asked for reinforcements. A water bowser vehicle from the High Grounds station arrived at 12.22 pm.
Only the mini water tanker was used while the bowser was deployed only for a few minutes.
Shekhar, the district fire officer, and his team saw billows of smoke and fireballs at the entrance of the warehouse but they were able to douse the flames by 12.35 pm.
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