Pune Camp: 25 Chicken, Fish Shops Gutted In Fire At Shivaji Market

Mubarak Ansari

Camp, 16th March 2021: A major fire destroyed 25 chicken and fish shops at the Pune Cantonment Board’s Shivaji Market in Camp early morning today. No person was injured in the incident. The traders association has estimated the loss at around Rs 40 lakhs.

According to Lashkar police station and Pune Fire Brigade, the incident took place around 3.50 am and the fire was completely doused by 6.30 am. Officials suspect an electric short circuit as the cause behind this fire incident.

Manjur Sheikh, president of Shivaji Market Traders Association said, “I received a call from Abid Sheikh at 3.50 am saying that there was a major fire at Shivaji Market. I immediately informed the Fire brigade office, Police and Pune cantonment board officials.”

He added, “Within five minutes I reached there and saw the massive fire. My chicken and poultry shops have been completely destroyed. A total of 17 fish and 8 chicken shops have been completely gutted in the fire which has also damaged the structure of the market. Many walls have fallen. We have estimated the loss to Rs 40 lakh.”

A total of eight vehicles from the Pune cantonment and PMC fire brigade teams were roped in to control the fire.

A team of Pune Cantonment Fire Brigade comprising Officer Prakash Hasbe, Tandel Asif Sheikh, Firemen Anil Tajne, Pramod Chavan, Sachin Bhagat, Prasad Borate, Nikhil Jagtap, Pankaj Rasal, Driver Balaji Dhakpade and Jeevan Jagtap reached the spot and doused the fire.

However, Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) officials ruled out the short-circuit theory behind the fire. “After a preliminary inspection, it is understood that there was a problem in the deep freezer and its compressor burst which caught fire. There is a lot of plastic and the roof structure is made up of wood which caused the spread of fire rapidly.

There is no Cantonment electricity connection in the premises of fish and chicken sections. The Cantonment connection was disconnected by MSEDCL one year before. Every shop keeper has its own electricity meter. There is no short circuit because of the Cantonment electricity connection”, a PCB officer said.

Pune Cantonment Board CEO Amit Kumar said, “Fire broke out at Shivaji Market at about 3.50 am. A total of 25 shops in the fish and chicken section have been gutted in this incident destroying the complete building structure, the roof made of wood, tin and tiles. The probable cause is an electrical short circuit.”