Close shave for Choithram Hospital patients after massive fire breaks out at nearby garage

Indore: Panic gripped the Lakeview Colony area on Monday morning after a massive fire broke out at an auto dealing company's garage adjacent to the prominent Choithram Hospital. While two cars were gutted, the intervention of hospital staff and fire brigade teams prevented the blaze from spreading to the medical facility.The garage, which is a repair and sales centre, shares a common boundary wall with Choithram Hospital. The proximity of the fire caused a massive cloud of black smoke to envelop the area, leading to temporary chaos among patients and residents.Eyewitnesses and Rajendra Nagar police said the fire intensified rapidly due to presence of flammable chemicals, including paint sprays and thinners used for car restoration. Recognising the immediate threat to the hospital wards, staff of Choithram Hospital were the first to respond, using internal water supplies to douse the boundary wall and prevent the flames from leaping over.Teams from the fire department arrived shortly after and managed to contain the blaze within the specific shed where it originated. Their efforts ensured that dozens of other vehicles parked in adjacent sheds remained untouched.While the property damage is significant — with two vehicles completely destroyed — no casualties were reported. According to Rajendra Nagar Police, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. They are investigating whether a short circuit or chemical combustion triggered the incident.This incident follows another alarming fire on Sunday morning in the Narwal area of Sanwer Road.A scrap warehouse owned by Mohammad Irfan caught fire, sending thick plumes of toxic black smoke across the industrial belt. The blaze posed a direct threat to nearby labourer quarters. In a state of panic, several labourers were seen dragging their belongings out of their homes as the fire approached their dwellings. Fire SI Shivnarayan Sharma confirmed that while the Narwal warehouse was locked at the time of the incident, the exact cause remains unclear.With two significant fires occurring within 24 hours in Indore, the district administration is likely to accelerate its city-wide fire safety audits, as a 15-day time limit has already been set by collector Shivam Verma for the commercial and high-rise buildings to ensure all the norms are in place.