A massive fire broke out in an illegal garbage dump in Sector 21 on Saturday night, which lasted for nearly five hours, fire officials said. The fire, which broke out around 9:30 p.m. Saturday and continued to burn until 2:30 a.m. Sunday, posed a direct threat to a nearby shopping center and about 300 homes, they said, adding that they had no were reported injured.

Gulshan Kalra, Deputy Director (Technical) of Haryana Fire Services, warned residents of the affected area to follow safety guidelines, referring to Sector 21, adding that the cause of the fire was not yet known. “Our crews worked tirelessly to bring the fire under control; we had dispatched at least 12 fire crews and there were no casualties due to quick action. We urge residents to stay away from the affected area and follow safety advice,” he said.

Residents report that the response from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has been insufficient, with authorities taking only limited action to dismantle some warehouses following the fire. They argued that this violates the mandates laid down in the Punjab and Haryana high court directives on waste management and safety in areas near residential areas.. Certainly, the high court directives state that landfills in residential areas should be strictly managed and monitored to prevent any health hazards and fire risks.

Prakash Lamba, president of RWA Sector 21, expressed concern over the lack of prior action by the authorities against the illegal dumping. “While the firefighters worked tirelessly to control the fire, the lack of preventive measures by the authorities is worrying. Our community has repeatedly raised concerns about the unsafe conditions at the landfill, but little has been done to address them,” he added.

Meanwhile, RWA general secretary KL Sharma said, “The fire broke out around 9.30 pm and it took nearly five hours till 2.30 am to bring it under control with the help of 35 water tankers and fire trucks by firefighters. This was a harrowing experience for all of us.”

Community leaders and residents are now urging the authorities, including the local MP, police commissioner, deputy commissioner and MCG and HSVP commissioners, to take immediate and coordinated action to prevent future incidents at the landfill. “There are other illegal deposits in the warehouse. the neighborhood that also violates norms. If the authorities do not take immediate action, these areas remain ticking time bombs,” said a resident Neeru Yadav.

In response, Nishant Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of Gurugram, said, “We are aware of the situation and are coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure that the fire is contained promptly. The safety of our residents is our highest priority.”