Pune: A significant fire incident occurred in Pune's Wadgaon Sheri area on Saturday (September 21), engulfing five shops in flames and causing widespread panic among local residents and shop owners.

The incident, which took place at around noon in the Mate Nagar market area, resulted in the complete destruction of grocery and food supply stores. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Upon receiving reports of the fire, the local fire department immediately dispatched eight fire tenders to the scene. Firefighters, led by officers Ramesh Gangad and Pramod Sonawane, worked diligently to extinguish the flames, successfully bringing the fire under control with water jets.

The timely response prevented the fire from spreading further and causing additional damage to nearby establishments.

Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scenes as thick plumes of smoke engulfed the area, leading to panic among shopkeepers and shoppers alike.

In addition to the damage caused to the stores, the fire also led to severe traffic disruptions, with congestion building up as emergency vehicles arrived at the market.

This is not the first time such an incident has taken place in the Mate Nagar market. Fire officials are currently investigating the cause, though they suspect that a short circuit may have triggered the blaze. The exact reason, however, has yet to be confirmed.

While the fire has been successfully contained, the financial losses faced by the affected shop owners are expected to be significant, as much of their stock was reduced to ashes.