Pune witnessed a major fire incident at Phoenix Mall located in the Viman Nagar area on Friday afternoon. The blaze, which reportedly broke out at a restaurant on the mall’s third floor, led to thick black smoke billowing from the premises. The Pune Fire Department swiftly responded, dispatching six fire engines to the scene, according to a statement from the department’s Public Relations Officer (PRO).
Videos circulated on social media captured the intensity of the fire as authorities worked to contain and extinguish it. Officials revealed that the restaurant where the fire originated had been closed since the Covid-19 pandemic. Fortunately, due to the operational fire extinguisher within the mall, the fire was contained, preventing further escalation and damage to adjoining areas.
Phoenix Marketcity Pune, known for its diverse offerings including shopping, dining, entertainment, and more, faced this unprecedented incident. The mall, described as Pune’s largest lifestyle and entertainment destination, houses various attractions such as a hypermarket, departmental stores, bookshops, kids’ play zones, electronics outlets, toy stores, and PVR Cinemas, according to its website.
The occurrence of this fire coincides with a concerning trend of increased fire incidents in Pune, correlated with record high temperatures in the city. The Pune Fire Department shared statistics revealing a notable rise in fire incidents over the past four months. In January and February 2024, there were 425 and 481 fire incidents, respectively. However, the numbers surged dramatically in March with 572 incidents and continued into April with 440 incidents reported in the first half alone.
Authorities attributed this uptick in fire incidents to the prevailing high temperatures, citing garbage fires as a primary cause. March recorded 120 incidents of garbage fires, followed by 75 incidents in the early weeks of April. This trend underscores the challenges posed by extreme weather conditions and the need for heightened vigilance and preventive measures to mitigate fire risks in urban areas.
In an unrelated incident highlighting the scale of fire emergencies, a massive fire erupted at NTPC’s North Karanpura super thermal power plant in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on the same day. The fire, which started in the BHEL material yard of unit 3 at the power plant, triggered immediate response efforts. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and efforts are underway to extinguish the blaze at the 660X3 mw coal-based power plant, operated by NTPC, India’s largest power generation company.
Sources By Agencies