Despite repeated attempts, TOI could not contact the owner, as calls to Madhusudan Mehadia went unanswered.The fire was brought under control only after firefighters battled the blaze for nearly 2 hours, while cooling operations continued until late morning to prevent reignition, said Sunil Dokre, officer of Sugat Nagar Fire Station, who supervised the operation.One of the most serious violations detected during firefighting was the complete absence of any water storage or in-house firefighting system at the premises — a mandatory requirement for industrial units dealing with flammable materials. Fire tenders were forced to travel several kilometres repeatedly to refill water, critically slowing down operations as the fire intensified.“There was absolutely no water provision at the unit. This made firefighting extremely difficult and dangerous,” chief fire officer Tushar Barahate told TOI, calling it a clear breach of fire safety norms.The situation escalated dramatically when LPG cylinders stored inside the unit began exploding one after another, creating scenes that firefighters described as war-like. Of the 25 cylinders stocked inside the premises, only 6 were recovered, while the rest exploded sequentially, triggering massive fireballs and shockwaves.“The explosions were continuous, almost like a war between 2 countries. The blasts could be seen from several kilometres away,” Barahate said. Officials said the cylinders, used in the lamination process, acted like fuel bombs, significantly intensifying the blaze and putting firefighters at grave risk. The ground-floor structure, with partial brick walls and a GI sheet roof, housed large stocks of paper rolls, lamination machinery, LPG cylinders, chemical and Fevicol drums, forklifts, lift vehicles, AC units, ceiling fans, and electrical installations. Intense heat caused repeated flare-ups, while thick smoke plumes rose into the sky, triggering panic despite the unit being relatively isolated.At least 6 fire tenders from Sugat Nagar and Trimurti Nagar were initially deployed. As the fire threatened to spread, reinforcements were rushed in from Kalamna, Lakadganj, Wathoda, and Civil Lines fire stations.No casualties were reported as the unit shut operations after 6 pm. “There were no workers inside, and the absence of nearby units helped confine the damage,” Barahate said.Clarifying jurisdiction, Dokre said the unit does not fall under Nagpur Municipal Corporation limits. “The area comes under Khapri (Khasala) Gram Panchayat under NMRDA,” he said, pointing to a regulatory grey zone where enforcement often weakens.Meanwhile, MIHAN deputy fire officer Ganesh Kharatmal said a detailed inquiry would be initiated into fire safety compliance, storage of hazardous materials, and statutory approvals.Preliminary estimates put the loss at around Rs5 crore, with no material salvaged. The cause of the fire remains unknown. A case was registered at Kapil Nagar police station, and multiple agencies are expected to examine land use permissions, building approvals, and safety clearances.The Uppalwadi blaze once again underscores the dangerous reality of industrial units operating on city fringes without water, safety systems, or effective oversight, turning them into ticking disaster zones.INFOBOXUppalwadi Paper Unit Fire — Key FactsIncident time: Around 1 am, TuesdayLocation: Kamptee Road, Uppalwadi, behind MSEB sub-stationUnit: Mehadia Enterprises Pvt LtdActivity: Paper laminationCylinders stored: 25Cylinders recovered: 6Fire tenders deployed: 6+ (with reinforcements)Casualties: NilEstimated loss: ~Rs 5 croreJurisdiction: Khapri (Khasala) Gram Panchayat, NMRDA
