Pune: A dairy owner tragically lost his life after a fire broke out at his dairy in the Sukh Sagar Nagar area of Bibwewadi, Pune, late Thursday night. The fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, according to initial findings by the fire department.

The deceased has been identified as Ramdas Salunkhe (aged 65), a resident of Yerawada, who owned Kisan Dairy in Bibwewadi. Salunkhe, who regularly stayed overnight at his dairy after receiving milk deliveries, was asleep when the fire broke out.

At around midnight, local residents noticed smoke billowing from the dairy. Sensing the danger, they broke down the door and discovered that the entire establishment was engulfed in thick smoke.

The residents quickly alerted the fire department, and a team from the Katraj Fire Station, led by Station Officer Sunil Naiknavare, rushed to the scene.

Firefighters worked swiftly to control the blaze using water hoses. However, Salunkhe, who had sustained severe burns, was found in a critical condition. He was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately, doctors confirmed that he had died before treatment could be administered.

Upon learning of the incident, the Bibwewadi Police arrived at the scene and have registered the case as an accidental death. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but early reports point to a short circuit as the likely trigger.

In a separate incident earlier on Thursday morning, a fire broke out at an old building near Panch Haud Tower in Ghorpade Peth. This fire destroyed five rooms and a shop, but, fortunately, no one was injured in that incident.