Question : Fire at Central Ammunition Depot in Pulgaon

(a) whether a Court of Inquiry was set up to investigate the causes of fire in Army’s Ammunition Depot held in Maharashtra’s Pulgaon in May this year;

(b) if so, the findings of the court of inquiry set up by the Army;

(c) whether any responsibility has been fixed on any specific agency for the fire accident;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government to provide fool proof security in all its ammunition depots across the country; and

(e) the other steps taken by the Government / Ordnance Factory Board to destroy the remaining defective mines at the Central Ammunition Depot at Pulgaon?

MINISTER OF STATE (DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
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(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. The Court of Inquiry set up on 31.05.2016 to investigate the causes of fire in Central Ammunition Depot, Pulgaon has attributed the fire to excessive exudation and resultant explosion of segregated Mines Anti Tank ND 1A.

(c) Based on the findings of the Court of Inquiry, action has been initiated for fixing responsibility for this incident.

(d) Security and Fire Fighting audit of all ammunitions echelons has been completed at respective Command HQ level to further strengthen security and Fire Fighting procedures. Further, development of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on disposal of defective ammunition in fixed time frame is underway.

(e) All TNT exuded affected mines held in Central Ammunition Depot, Pulgaon have been destroyed.
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