A major fire broke out at a slum cluster in the city’s Shivajinagar area Wednesday afternoon.While initial reports suggest there was no loss to life, authorities have yet to ascertain the number of injured in the mishap.
According to reports, the blaze, which was apparently caused by a gas cylinder explosion, rapidly engulfed scores of slum-houses in the heavily crowded Patil Estate area. More than 50 families are said to be affected as around hundred shanties are estimated charred due to the blaze.
The inferno was brought under control after nearly three hours of fierce firefighting. Nearly 30 fire tenders from a number of points in the city including Pimpri-Chinchwad and the Khadki Cantonment Board, as well as ambulances were pressed into action.
“It appears that a cylinder explosion in lane number 3 in the Patil Estate slum cluster caused the fire. 8-10 cylinders exploded as the fire caught on. While the situation is under control, operations are far from complete,” said Prashant Ranpise, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s chief fire officer.
As the blaze spread, terrified residents rushed out into the open, scrambling out with whatever belongings they could lay their hands on.
The conflagration led to major traffic snarls at a number of points in the city including the crowded Maldhakka Chowk-Mangalwar Peth road area. Traffic coming from Pimpri-Chinchwad into Pune was diverted along a different route.
Plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the tightly-packed slum as firefighters had a hard time dousing the flames. Elected representatives including Mayor Mukta Tilak as well as local MLAs visited the spot, reassuring that those persons who were displaced would be compensated.
A fire had broken out earlier this week under similar circumstances in lane number 5 in the same slum cluster. Four-five shanties were charred at the time.
In October this year, another fire caused by a cylinder explosion had claimed two lives in a slum area in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
