A major fire broke out at a godown storing chemicals along the Mumbai-Nashik highway in Maharashtra`s Thane district, officials said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.
While no casualty was reported in the blaze, which erupted around 9.45 pm on Sunday, a fire officer was injured after falling into a drain during the firefighting operation, they said, reported PTI.
Thick smoke from the burning chemicals triggered panic in the surrounding industrial area.
Efforts were still on to douse the blaze, the officials said.
The fire originated in the chemical storage unit located near Savad Naka in Lonad village of Bhiwandi town along the highway, Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation`s disaster management cell chief Saquib Kharbe said, reported PTI.
Several fire engines and private water tankers were pressed into service, he said.
There was no report of any casualty in the blaze so far. However, fire officer Nitin Lad sustained injuries after slipping and falling into a drain while wearing a fire suit during the operation and was immediately provided medical assistance, the official said, reported PTI.
Four fire engines — two from Kalyan and one each from Bhiwandi and Ulhasnagar — were rushed to the spot. Several fire personnel were at the spot and efforts were still on to douse the flames, Thane Municipal Corporation`s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said, reported PTI.
The cause of the blaze was yet to be determined, he added.
16 electrical meters damaged in fire in Thane building
In another incident, a fire broke out in the electrical meter box room of a building in Maharashtra`s Thane city early on October 1, damaging 16 meters, an official said, reported PTI.
No person was injured in the incident, Thane Municipal Corporation`s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said, reported PTI.
The blaze erupted on the ground floor of the three-storey Dnyaneshwar Smriti Society in the Dhokali area. A total of 16 electric meters were damaged, he said, reported PTI.
The fire control room reported it at 4.36 am, the official said, adding the blaze was limited to the electrical meters, reported PTI.
Personnel of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company and the fire brigade rushed to the spot, and the blaze was extinguished by around 5 am, he said.
The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, the official said.
(With inputs from PTI)
