The Pimpri-Chinchwad police reported that 16 workers, including 15 females, were inside the factory during the fire outbreak. The identities of the six women who lost their lives are yet to be ascertained as the investigation continues.
The injured workers, including Shilpa Rathod, Pratiksha Torane, Apeksha Torane, Kavita Rathod, Renuka Tathod, Sharad Sutar, Komal Chaure, Suman, Usha Padave, and Priyanka Yadav, were promptly transported to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri. Following initial treatment, eight of them were referred to Sassoon General Hospital in Pune, while the remaining two seriously injured persons were directly admitted to Sassoon General Hospital.
According to officials, Sharad Sutar, the owner of the factory, also sustained injuries during the fire incident. The Pimpri-Chinchwad fire brigade responded swiftly to the emergency, dispatching a total of eight fire tenders to the site. The factory, occupying 200 to 250 square feet with a tin roof, lacked proper name boards. The fire officials mentioned that the factory was manufacturing fire candles, commonly used as birthday candles.
Rishikant Chipade, fire officer at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), stated, “The factory unit was manufacturing fire candles that are basically used as birthday candles. It may be due to mishandling that the fire spread in the unit. The factory has only one entry and exit gate which was choked due to which the workers were unable to exit and died inside.”
Omprakash Bahiwal, disaster management chief of the PCMC, mentioned, “Ten ambulances were immediately rushed to the spot and shifted all the injured to the hospital. Two injured were directly shifted to Sassoon Hospital in Pune.’’
Shekhar Singh, municipal commissioner of the PCMC, provided preliminary insights, stating, “Prima facie, it seems that it was a sparkle candle manufacturing unit. As of now, it does not look like any other firecrackers were manufactured at the unit. As per our initial investigation, it was observed that the unit was set up in the red zone area of the defence establishment.’’
Singh indicated that the area was declared a ‘red zone’ as per the Defence Establishments Act, and further investigation is underway to gather more information about the factory.
Kakasaheb Dole, deputy commissioner of police (zone II), affirmed, “The factory owner Sutar who was also injured in this accident does not have any valid licence to run the factory. His factory is illegal and legal action will be taken against him.’’
With the bodies charred beyond recognition, the police are conducting DNA tests to identify the six deceased individuals. Some survivors are assisting in the identification process. District collector Rajesh Deshmukh visited Sassoon General Hospital to meet the injured persons and instructed the hospital administration to provide immediate medical assistance.
Deputy Chief Minister and guardian minister of Pune district, Ajit Pawar, called for a high-level inquiry into the incident and emphasized strict action against the culprits. He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. In a tweet, Pawar stated, “The fire at Talawade in Pimpri-Chinchwad that broke out in a candle making factory in Pimpri-Chinchwad has left six people dead. I am deeply saddened by this tragedy. Condolences to the families of those who died in the accident. The injured are undergoing treatment, and we pray for their speedy recovery.”
