Udupi Fire Department Refutes Claims of Delayed Response During Recent City Fire Incident
Udupi: The District Fire Officer addressed concerns regarding the response time of the Fire and Emergency Services during a recent fire incident in Udupi, asserting there was no delay in their deployment. The clarification comes in response to reports suggesting a lag in the department’s reaction to the emergency.
According to official records, on April 26th at 5:05 p.m., the Udupi Fire Station received a call reporting a field fire at Kadekar 12th Cross, Koti Chennayya Road. The call was logged as Call No. 138/2026, and a fire tender, staffed with trained personnel, was dispatched to the location at 5:06 p.m.
While the initial team actively contained the field fire and prevented its spread to nearby residential properties using traditional fire beaters, a second emergency call was received at 5:25 p.m. This call reported a significantly larger fire at the Khader Commercial Complex, situated near the Udupi City Bus Stand. This subsequent incident was registered as Call No. 139/2026, and firefighters were immediately dispatched to the scene at 5:26 p.m.
Upon arrival at the Khader Commercial Complex, first responders encountered a rapidly escalating fire that had already spread to encompass multiple shops within the complex. These establishments included mobile phone retailers, toy stores, electrical appliance outlets, and plastic goods vendors, contributing to the blaze’s intensity and complexity. Recognizing the severity of the situation, additional fire tenders were requested from neighboring municipalities, including Malpe, Karkala, Kundapur, and Kadri, to provide supplementary resources and manpower.
Under the strategic direction of district fire officials, personnel from the various responding fire stations engaged in continuous fire suppression operations. These efforts culminated in bringing the fire under control after approximately two hours, with complete extinguishment achieved after a further hour of intensive work.
Despite the formidable challenges presented by the fire’s intensity, firefighters reportedly demonstrated exceptional bravery, risking their personal safety by entering the burning building to continue operations. These efforts resulted in the successful salvage of approximately 17 shops within the complex, along with six motorcycles parked nearby. Furthermore, the firefighters’ actions prevented the fire from spreading to the adjacent City Center Mall, averting potentially catastrophic damage and preserving property estimated to be worth crores of rupees.
The District Fire Officer emphasized that, despite the Udupi station having only one fire tender, the initial response team made the critical decision to halt their ongoing operation at the field fire and immediately redirect resources to address the more pressing emergency at the Khader Commercial Complex. The Fire Officer unequivocally stated that there was no undue delay in the fire service’s response to either incident, highlighting the department’s commitment to swift and effective emergency management within the district.
