Pune: A devastating fire broke out in the early hours at Ashtavinayak Readymade, a clothing store in Mutha Market on Narayangaon-Junnar Road. The fire destroyed garments, furniture, and other store materials, resulting in an estimated ₹4 crore loss. The incident also impacted neighboring businesses, with Varhadi Medical Store suffering damages worth ₹25 lakh.
Fire Spreads to 11 Shop Units
The two-story Ashtavinayak Readymade store consisted of 11 interconnected shop units, all of which were completely gutted in the fire. At around 4 AM, smoke was noticed coming from the upper floor of the building. Within 10-15 minutes, flames spread rapidly, engulfing the entire store.
By 5 AM, Assistant Police Inspector Mahadev Shelar from Narayangaon Police Station arrived at the location. Shortly after, a fire engine from Junnar Municipality reached the scene but was unable to control the fire initially.
Firefighting Efforts and Cause of Fire
Firefighters from multiple locations, including Kandali Industrial Estate, Vighnahar Co-operative Sugar Factory, and Rajgurunagar, were called for reinforcements. After six hours of continuous efforts, the fire was finally brought under control by 11 AM. The cause of the fire is suspected to be a short circuit, though an official investigation is still underway.
Additional Losses in Nearby Shops
Due to the intense heat and flames, Varhadi Medical Store sustained ₹25 lakh worth of damage, affecting its CCTV cameras, medicines, and computer systems. Another adjacent store, Dhande Collection, was also partially affected.