COIMBATORE: A major fire broke out at a temporary labour shelter on Avinashi Road near the Nava India bus stop, destroying around 70 sheds on Saturday afternoon.The property belongs to a private construction firm that provides accommodation for more than 400 migrant workers, primarily from Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred when three workers were preparing tea in their shed. A cooking gas cylinder unexpectedly exploded, causing the workers to flee the scene in panic. The flames rapidly spread to adjacent quarters, triggering a chain reaction as multiple gas cylinders in nearby sheds began to explode.Upon receiving an alert, local residents notified the Fire and Rescue Services. Firefighters and fire tenders from South, North, Peelamedu and Ganapathy stations were dispatched to the site. More than 40 firefighters battled the inferno to bring the blaze and secondary explosions under control.District Fire Officer Ganeshan confirmed that between 25 and 30 gas cylinders exploded during the incident, with several cracking open due to the intense heat. Fire crews successfully retrieved over 30 severely bulged and damaged cylinders that were at high risk of exploding, preventing further destruction. Search operations in the debris are currently underway.No casualties or injuries have been reported, as most workers were away from their quarters when the fire broke out. However, the blaze destroyed personal belongings, scattering food items and other materials across the site.Peelamedu Police have registered a case and initiated an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the initial blast and assess the safety compliance of the accommodation facilities.
