Mysore, Feb. 22 (KK&SH)- Around 45 brand new cars awaiting sale and kept in the stockyard of Tata Motors dealer, Urs Kar Service in Hebbal Industrial Area, here, were gutted in a major fire incident.

The fire is learnt to have started at about 2.30 pm on Sunday and the entire yard was engulfed within minutes. The cause of the fire is yet to be established. Three fire tenders were pressed into service and the fire was brought under control in about an hour’s time.

Kantharaj Urs, Proprietor of the dealership company, told reporters that he received a call at about 2.30 pm informing him about the fire and that he rushed to the scene. More than 150 cars were parked in the yard, he said, adding that the wide gap between the row of vehicles caught in the flames and the remaining ones parked at a higher level prevented the fire from spreading and causing greater damage.

The stockyard is part of the showroom on a two-acre land and shelters Tata Motors and Fiat cars awaiting sale to customers until delivery. It is at lower level of about 3 feet from the road and covered by dry standing grass. Eyewitnesses said that fire started at the rear part of the stockyard; covered by a well on one side and fence on the other and quickly spread to other areas. All the cars are covered by insurance, it is learnt. Local residents helped in saving many cars by bringing them outside the yard.

The task of moving the cars to safe place was hindered as all the cars had been kept locked for safety and the set of keys could not be accessed in quick time. Although, some people broke the glass wind-screen and attempted to move the cars to safety, the effort was not successful due to locked steering. Metagalli Police have registered a case and are investigating.

Sources in the company told Star of Mysore today that losses could have been considerably less if it had been a working day and if the fire brigade had arrived on the scene without delay.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore