After 40 hours of efforts by firefighters, a massive fire that broke out in a ground-plus-three-storey building’s plywood warehouse in Rahnal village, Bhiwandi, was finally doused. Fire officials said that the cooling operation had begun, but due to the winds, the fire is reigniting inside the warehouse.
Kiran Bhushara, a fire officer from the Bhiwandi fire station, said, "A total of eight fire engines from Thane, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai, and Bhiwandi rushed to the spot to extinguish the fire. We called in hundreds of water tankers to douse the fire. The fire was brought under control, but due to the wind, it is reigniting. Now, the cooling operation has started."
However, no casualties or major injuries have been reported from the intense blaze. The incident occurred in Rahnal village, within the Manisurat compound, under the jurisdiction of Narpoli Police Station, at around 3:25 AM on Saturday. Fire officials said they received information about the fire and initially dispatched two fire engines to the scene.
As the fire intensified, six additional fire tenders were rushed from Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi, Navi Mumbai, and Thane to assist in extinguishing it. The warehouse stored plywood, furniture, clothes, and footwear. Fire officials said that even after 17 hours, the fire was not fully under control as it spread to adjacent godowns.
According to fire officials, due to the massive and prolonged fire, two floors of the warehouse building collapsed. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
