Pune: 76-Year-Old Woman Found Burnt in Kothrud Flat

Pune witnessed two tragic fire-related incidents, resulting in the deaths of an elderly woman in Kothrud and a young eatery staffer in Dhankawadi.

In the first incident, a 76-year-old woman, identified as Kamal Sampatrao Ghuge, was found burnt in her rented flat in Guru Ganesh Nagar, Kothrud, on Monday morning. The fire brigade responded to an alert around 8:30 AM, where they found that although a cylinder had exploded, there was no active fire in the house. “When we arrived, we found that there was no fire anywhere in the house, but a cylinder had indeed exploded. The door was open, and inside, we found the elderly woman lying in a burnt condition,” said Fire Brigade Center Chief Prakash Gore. Despite immediate medical assistance, the woman succumbed to her injuries. Authorities are investigating whether the explosion was caused by a gas leak or another factor.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a 24-year-old staffer, identified as Santosh, was killed in a fire at Saiba Tea Shop in Dhankawadi’s KK Market area. The fire broke out around 4 PM when a gas leak ignited after a pot of milk was placed for boiling. The flames spread rapidly, damaging the eatery and two adjoining shops. While others managed to escape, Santosh was trapped inside and suffered fatal burns. “We received a call and immediately deployed a fire tender. The fire was brought under control within minutes. We removed three gas cylinders from the eatery to prevent further danger,” said Fire Officer Sunil Naiknavre. Authorities are investigating the cause of the gas leak.

Both incidents highlight the need for stringent safety measures regarding gas cylinders and household safety. Further details will emerge as investigations progress.