100 - First encounter

This event happened some five or six months afore. Suddenly, it came to mind and thought of writing it as a blog post.

I was working late in office. Since production was busy that time, We, staffs in office,  decided to work for two shifts. The office is located in residential area surrounded by houses conveniently spaced. At the back side of factory, a house is there. The two building is separated by a compound wall. our workshop section is located  just 3 to 4 meters from our compound wall. Our machinist was working in there generating noises with drill press and welding machine.

Other peoples were working in Production section and Assembly section which is little far from the Workshop. I was doing something in Design Section adjacent to production area. Everyone was concentrated towards their work. Suddenly, a loud sound made all of us run towards workshop. We were in panic, suspected of machinist being subjected to accident.

For god sake, nothing happened to him and realized the sound came from the house backside. The roof of the room, in the house, adjacent to the compound wall is covered by asbestos and that was disoriented. Fire was visible from inside the house. We rushed in, jumping over the compound and hurriedly watched through the dormer window and whatever openings in the house, eager to know about the cause. Fortunately, no one is inside the house and heard from neighbors that owners went for vacation.

We thought it as gas cylinder explosion and fire was spreading to the nearby rooms. We tried to control it by routing water from our company. We cant control it. So, I called 100 from my mobile. The call was responsibly answered and they took note of the location. Within the next 10 minutes a patrol of 10 to 15 police men along with the fire fighting equipments reached the spot. They were also responsible enough to call me twice before their arrival, enquiring about the status.

The fire was neutralized by them and the cause was confirmed as gas cylinder blast and shockingly another new cylinder was there nearby the blasted cylinder. If that was subjected to fire little more, that would have also blasted. If the blast was little severe our company might be affected. Then they took control of the house and continued with their procedures and requested civilians to leave.

I never imagined such promptness from them. We left the office without finishing our intended work.  For a week from that incident we avoided having late night shifts.