Fire at Alang, eight injured

A major fire broke out at the Alang ship-breaking yard here today afternoon, injuring eight people on the spot. The injured have been admitted to hospital.

The fire broke out at yard number V-5, owned by one Kishor Bansal, where ship-cutting work was under way.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Flames started gushing out of the engine room of the ship which was being dismantled. The ship in which the fire started was shifted from the shore to avoid further damage.

On receiving the news, a team of fire-fighters from the Alang-Sosiya ship-breaking yard rushed to the spot.

Fire-fighters from Bhavnagar also rushed to the spot. "On receiving the news, we made immediate arrangements to mobilise our disaster management team, along with the deputy collector of Mahuva and the mamlatdar of Talaja," said Bhavnagar Resident Deputy Collector Manoj Makwana.

Makwana said the labourers who were on duty in the ship's engine room received severe burn injuries and were later admitted to Sri Takhtsinhji Hospital in Bhavnagar. They had jumped from the ship when the fire broke out. A few of them got away with minor burns and are under medication, he added.

"The situation is under control and there is no further damage," said Makwana.