16 evacuated in 2 fire incidents in Kothrud, one injured

Sixteen people including two BTech college students were evacuated by the Pune Fire Brigade department in two different fire incidents in Kothrud on Thursday

Sixteen people including two BTech college students were evacuated by the Pune Fire Brigade department in two different fire incidents in Kothrud on Thursday.

Two students were rescued after fire broke out at Prabha housing society. (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

In the first incident, two students studying at a well-known college in Kothrud were rescued from a flat in Prabha housing society at Anandnagar in Kothrud. The call pertaining to a fire breaking out at the building was received at around 4:42 am on Thursday, as per the fire department.

Gajanan Pathrudkar, a fire officer and his colleague Nitin Ghule immediately rushed to the spot and wore a ‘breathing apparatus’ and evacuated two students by wrapping them into bed sheets.

Devendra Potphode, Chief Fire Officer of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) informed that the building was engulfed in flames and smoke.

The victims, identified as Sameer Shanvare and Prachi Nile, were evacuated by fire officers. However, another student Bhushan Dhole sustained burn injuries on his hand, said Fire brigade officials. He was taken to the hospital for further treatment.

In the other incident, a fire broke out in a meter room of a 15-storied building Shravandhara Society in Kothrud at 10:30 in the morning. Fire officials informed that the presence of wooden materials kept in the duct escalated the fire. One cooking cylinder blast was reported at the fire site.

As many as 14 residents were evacuated from the spot. Nine fire vehicles including a water tanker and a fire engine from PMRDA were deployed at the site as officials brought the situation under control within an hour.

Potphode said, ‘’Fire fighting system installed in the building was not working, additionally, residents had dumped trash at the duct hence fire spread immediately.’’