Fire engulfs handloom plant in Pune, claims five lives

Fire broke out at a handloom factory in Khed taluka

Pune: Their dreams of leading a normal life and overcoming the loss they faced due to drought, came crashing down when fire broke out at a handloom plant of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in a remote area of Pune. Five labourers, including four women died in the blaze. All of them had migrated to Pune to earn a living after their hometown Akola was affected by drought. They were immediately rushed to Chakan primary health center but were declared dead on arrival.

Relatives of the deceased at the site

Fire spreads
The incident took place around 10 am on Thursday at Cotton Waste Company situated at survey number 428 of Nanekarwadi in Khed taluka. Spread over an area of 2,500 square feet, the plot is owned by Ramdas Maruti Kurd. He had given it on rent to Javed Abdul Khan for the last four years.

The fire spread rapidly, as there were huge quantities of cotton and clothes packed in the plant and it took the fire brigade almost three hours to douse the flames. Five fire vehicles and 10 water tankers were pressed into service to control the situation. As the fire broke out in the main entrance of the factory, people were stuck inside and could not move out.

Families in shock
The five deceased have been identified as Kalpana Bijay Shirsat (29), from Beed, Radha Haresh Thakkur (26), from Kudal village in Sindhudurg, Ujwala Dilip Sonsal (35), from Lohar village in Nanded, Kusum Sandeep Sakarkar (30), from Yavatmal village in Amarawati and Ramdas Parasmal Rathod (52), from Akola. All of them were residing in Kharabwadi of Khed. A complaint has been registered against Kurd and Khan under relevant sections of IPC. Both of them are on the run.

Deceased Rathod's wife Radhabai (40) said, "We come from a drought-affected area. I cannot believe such a thing happened. My husband was the only breadwinner of the family. I am uneducated and do not know anything apart from cooking. How will I survive without my husband? We had migrated to Pune with our three children, all of whom are studying."

Kusum's relative Ram Prasad said, "Kusum and our family had migrated to Pune some two years back and since then she was working for Sana Enterprises. Last week she had received some advance money from her boss and hence we had planned to visit our village for Diwali."

Cop says
Inspector Santosh Girigosawai of Chakan police station said, "The plot is surrounded by steel sheets and walls and such a place was given on rent for the past couple of years. Khan owns Sana Enterprises Company, which was being run on the plot. The firm recycles thread from torn clothes and cotton waste. Such materials are put together in a machine to be converted into thread. During this process if iron particles enter the machine then sparks take place. Most likely this was the reason behind the fire. A total of 10 people were working at the site when this mishap took place."

He added, "Some labourers of the company said that this was not the first time a fire broke out at the site. Earlier, two such incidents had taken place and yet no precautionary measures were taken. A case has been filed against the owner of the premises and the person to whom the plot was given on rent. We will arrest them soon."

Kurd and Khan remained unavailable for comment on the incident.