A massive fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon in a four-storied commercial building located on Bhanpur Road in the Karond area. The blaze originated on the first floor, which houses several commercial establishments. While the sight of rising flames and thick black smoke caused widespread panic in the locality, a major tragedy was averted as the building was not heavily crowded at the time of the incident. No casualties or injuries have been reported in connection with the mishap. Swift response by Fire Department and local hospital: Upon receiving information about the blaze, the fire brigade from the nearby People’s Hospital reached the spot first to initiate rescue operations. They were soon joined by fire tenders from the municipal corporation. The two teams worked in co-ordination to manage the situation and successfully prevented the fire from spreading further across the complex. Notably, the fire broke out in an area where a KFC outlet is also situated. Panic grips busy Bhanpur Road as smoke billows: The sudden incident on the busy Bhanpur Road led to chaos as black smoke billowing into the sky could be seen from a significant distance.

 

Alarmed by the sight, residents and shopkeepers rushed out of their premises, leading to a massive gathering at the site. The Nishatpura police had to intervene to manage the crowd and ensure that the rescue operations continued without hindrance. Preliminary damage assessment and investigation: Administrative and police teams are currently working to assess the exact financial loss caused by the fire. According to initial reports, electronic equipment and furniture worth lakhs of rupees have been reduced to ashes. Officials stated that the final figure regarding the property damage will only be confirmed after a detailed investigation and the completion of the formal spot report. According to Saurabh Patel, the municipal corporation Fire Officer, the fire started from a generator placed near the Croma electronics showroom in the building. A preliminary probe suggests that a short circuit in the generator triggered the fire. The sparks quickly escalated into a major blaze, which subsequently engulfed several nearby air conditioning units.