A fire erupted in three stalls in Thane district, Maharashtra, early on Friday but was quickly extinguished within 40 minutes, officials said.
According to the news agency PTI, the blaze broke out in the “galas” at Jivdani Nagar in the Diva area. No injuries were reported, according to Yasin Tadvi, Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation.
The fire control room received a call about the incident at 3:07 am. The affected stalls reportedly stored Plaster of Paris (POP) idols. Firefighters were dispatched immediately, and employees from the local electricity distributor also rushed to the site to prevent any electrical hazards during firefighting operations.
As per PTI, the fire was brought under control by 3:45 am. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Tadvi added.
Maharashtra: Pune sees 65 fire cases, Pimpri-Chinchwad 17, over two days of Diwali festivities
The city of Pune and its twin city Pimpri-Chinchwad witnessed an alarming rise in fire incidents during the Diwali festivities this year, though fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported.
Over the past two days of Laxmi Poojan and Diwali Padwa, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) recorded 65 fire incidents, while 17 cases were reported within Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) limits.
Pune Fire Brigade officials said most fires were triggered by firecrackers or decorative lights. Despite the surge, the civic fire departments’ extensive safety campaign, “Safe Diwali, Happy Diwali,” is believed to have helped prevent serious accidents. Fire personnel used loudspeakers across the city to remind residents about fire safety precautions, especially during festive evenings when cracker usage peaks, said Nilesh Mahajan, a PMC fire officer.
According to PMC fire records, the maximum number of incidents occurred on Laxmi Poojan night (November 1), between 7 p.m. and midnight, when 36 fires were reported in various parts of the city, including Hadapsar, Warje, Kasba Peth, Kothrud, Sinhgad Road, Dhayari, and Baner. On Diwali Padwa, 14 more cases were registered, followed by nine on Bhau Beej. In total, 60 separate fire cases were reported across Pune city and suburbs during the Diwali period.
Most of these incidents involved balcony fires, garbage fires, and small residential blazes, often caused by falling rockets or burning decorative materials. The Fire Brigade’s Central Control Room confirmed that despite the record number of calls, no serious injuries or major property losses were reported.
One notable incident occurred in Hingne Khurd on Sinhgad Road, where a warehouse storing event and decorative materials caught fire on Monday evening. The godown, belonging to Bendre Event Management, contained large quantities of carpets, drapes, and plastic decorations, which ignited rapidly.
Teams from Sinhgad Road, Navale Bridge, and Warje Fire Stations rushed to the spot and managed to control the flames within 30 minutes despite the densely populated surroundings. The cause of the fire is suspected to be an electrical short circuit, and officials confirmed that no one was injured.
(With PTI inputs)
