A fire broke out in a warehouse in Bhiwandi in the early hours of Monday. The blaze took nearly 10 hours to be brought under control, and there were no casualties reported in the incident.
According to officials from Bhiwandi fire control room, the blaze broke out in a godown in the Jai Mata Di compound of Kalher village around 5.30 a.m. Three people, who were inside the warehouse, raised an alarm and informed the fire brigade at 5.40 a.m.. Two fire engines from Anjurphata fire station were sent to the spot.
Nitin Chavan, a fire officer from Anjurphata fire station, whose team was the first to arrive, said the fire had spread across the godown by the time they reached the spot. “Since it was a massive fire, we alerted our chief fire officer for more engines to tackle the flames. We sought assistance from fire stations in Thane and Kalyan too,” Mr. Chavan said.
Officials said the warehouse had paint, paint brushes, cloth, and plastic materials stored inside. “Nobody was trapped. The men who ran out after the fire also pulled out the cooking gas cylinder from the kitchen of the warehouse,” Mr. Chavan said.
Another official from Bhiwandi City fire brigade said additional assistance was later sought from the fire stations in Mira Bhayander and Ulhasnagar, and that the blaze was brought under control around 3 p.m..
“Currently, the cooling procedure is under way. It was once a commercial area that has recently been opened for residential purposes. The first floor and an adjoining part-floor have been completely gutted. The ground floor has remained intact,” the official said.
Meanwhile, a newly constructed building right behind the factory was evacuated by the fire brigade. “A family had moved in on Sunday. As the fire and smoke started spreading, a few of their belongings were damaged. There was nobody residing apart from them in the building,” the official said.
The fire brigade and the police have said that their investigation into the fire will begin on Tuesday. “We have currently made a diary entry. We will call the owners and others associated with the factory from Tuesday and start our investigation,” police sub-inspector Manikrao Kature, Narpoli police station, said.
