Maharashtra: One dead after massive fire breaks out in sofa manufacturing unit in Pune

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One person died after a massive fire broke out in a sofa manufacturing unit in Pune district of Maharashtra, the officials said on Friday, reported the PTI.

The deceased, a 45-year-old man, died in the blaze that had broken out on Friday, an official said.

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The incident took place in Kondhwa Budruk in Yewalewadi at 1:30 pm and the deceased has been identified as Harun Hamad Khan, he added.

The blaze was doused in an hour, the fire brigade official informed.

Local residents said that the fire started when a small cylinder exploded while welding work was underway at the unit.

"Khan was found at the site with severe burn injuries. He died while undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. The cause of the fire is being probed," the official added, as per the PTI.

Four-storey building collapses in Mumbai's Bhendi Bazar

Meanwhile, a four-storey building located in the densely populated Bhendi Bazar area of South Mumbai partially collapsed in the early hours of Friday, according to officials.

No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident, they said.

The incident took place at approximately 12:30 am on Nishanpada Road near Khoja Jamat Khana.

The Husainibai Building, situated at 40 Tan Tanpura Street, was an unoccupied structure that had been deemed dilapidated and unsafe prior to the collapse, as per PTI reports.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade received an alert about the incident around 12:06 am and rushed to the site.

According to PTI, five fire brigade vehicles, along with personnel from the building department, were deployed to the location to carry out search-and-rescue operations and clear the debris.

Although the structure was vacant at the time, officials took no chances and thoroughly inspected the site for any trapped individuals or hazards.

The locals, alarmed by the incident, gathered in large numbers near the collapsed building.

A fire brigade official said, "The building was already vacated as it was in a dilapidated state. Thankfully, this ensured that there were no injuries or casualties. Our personnel, along with building department staff, are working on clearing the rubble."

The exact cause of the collapse is yet to be determined.

(with PTI inputs)