Assam: Massive blaze guts Gauripur jute godown, stock worth lakhs reduced to ashes

Firefighting operations commenced late Sunday, March 1 evening after a massive blaze erupted at a jute godown in Gauripur, near the Gauripur Shamshan Mandir, triggering panic across the trading belt and leaving behind extensive financial devastation.

The blaze, which broke out shortly after dusk, rapidly engulfed the warehouse stocked to capacity with high-quality jute bales. Within minutes, thick plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky, visible from several kilometres away, as flames leapt high above the structure. The godown, reportedly owned by members of the Chirania family, was reduced to a smouldering mass despite swift intervention.

Fire tenders from both Dhubri and Gauripur stations rushed to the spot immediately after the alarm was raised. However, the highly combustible nature of jute — tightly packed and stacked up to the ceiling — allowed the flames to spread at an alarming pace, complicating containment efforts.

This marks yet another fire incident at the same facility, reviving uneasy memories among local residents and traders. The recurrence has intensified concerns about safety protocols and fire-prevention measures in privately operated warehouses across the Dhubri-Gauripur belt.

In a remarkable show of solidarity, local residents joined firefighting efforts even before additional reinforcements arrived. Forming human chains, they passed buckets of water and sand to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby residential houses and the sacred temple precincts. Their swift action is believed to have averted a larger catastrophe.

Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported. However, preliminary estimates suggest that jute worth several lakhs of rupees has been completely destroyed. Firefighters, aided by volunteers, continued the cooling process late into the night to prevent the smouldering fibres from reigniting.

While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, initial suspicions point towards a possible electrical short circuit or heat accumulation within the densely stacked jute bales. Eyewitnesses described the blaze as sudden and explosive. “We saw thick black smoke, and then the flames just erupted. The godown was packed to the roof. It’s a heartbreaking loss,” said a local volunteer.

The incident has once again spotlighted the vulnerability of jute storage units in the region, where jute remains a primary cash crop and a backbone of the rural economy. Traders and residents alike are now demanding stricter safety audits, mandatory fire-suppression systems, and regular inspections to prevent such recurring disasters.