Pune: A fire erupted late Monday night at a paint warehouse in the Mantarwadi area on Saswad Road, Pune, prompting a large-scale response by local fire services.
The blaze, which broke out around midnight, was quickly contained by a team of approximately 50 firefighters from multiple fire stations, preventing any injuries but causing significant property damage.
The fire department, alerted shortly after midnight, responded swiftly to the blaze at a warehouse belonging to Nippon Paints.
The fire, which engulfed a 15,700-square-foot storage area with 10-foot walls, ignited paint cans and spread quickly due to the flammable materials inside. Firefighters battled the flames from all sides, successfully bringing the fire under control within an hour.
The heat from the fire was so intense that metal sheets on the warehouse structure bent, and two tempos along with two motorcycles parked nearby were destroyed.
Damage was extensive, with air conditioning units, furniture, computers, and other items completely burned. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire, but reports confirmed no injuries.
Fire Officer Pramod Sonawane, along with fellow officer Anil Gaikwad, led the firefighting operation. Teams from nearby fire stations including Kalepadal, Hadapsar, BT Kawade Road, Kondhwa, Central Pune, PMRDA, and Amanora dispatched fire engines, tankers, and additional support. Ten private water tankers also assisted in containing the blaze.
The incident, which occurred around 2:15 am, saw firefighters quickly initiate a coordinated response, breaking the warehouse shutters with a JCB machine to access and suppress the fire more effectively.
The presence of paint and thinner inside heightened the intensity of the flames, which damaged the structure and contents significantly.
Among the firefighting crew were driver Prem Sagar Rathod and fire personnel Mangesh Salunkhe, Pratik Shirsat, Nitin Pawar, Tushar Pawar, Tandel Gaikwad, Swapnil Tule, and Suraj Shinde, who continued efforts to fully extinguish the fire until 8 a.m.