Pune: A three-year-old child and five women were rescued by firefighters after a fire broke out in the Bhagyodaynagar area of Kondhwa on Tuesday (December 17) afternoon. The incident, which caused panic among residents, occurred around 2:45 PM when smoke began billowing from a building.

The fire started in two clothing shops located on the ground floor of a building in Lane No. 34, Bhagyodaynagar. The thick smoke quickly spread, trapping a child and five women in a flat on the upper floor. Upon receiving the emergency call, the fire brigade responded swiftly and initiated firefighting operations to prevent the fire from spreading further.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus to navigate through the dense smoke and successfully rescued all the trapped individuals. Tragically, the fire destroyed clothes, wooden materials, electrical equipment, and machinery in the shops. While the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, minor injuries were reported, including one woman and a firefighter.

In a touching coincidence, the rescued child was celebrating their third birthday on the same day. The prompt actions of the firefighters averted a major disaster, earning appreciation from the local residents.

The rescue operation was led by a team of fire brigade personnel, including drivers Ravindra Hiwarkar, Satyam Choukande, Rafiq Sheikh, Kishor Mohite, Yogesh Pisal, Sagar Dalvi, Nilesh Wankhede, Kunal Khode, Govind Gite, Harshal Yewale, and Harshvardhan Khade.