Pune: Fire Breaks Out at Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival, Prompt Action Averts Disaster
Swargate, 17th December 2023: The Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen festival faced a moment of crisis today at around 04:15 pm when a fire broke out in the mandap at Maharashtriya Mandal Krida Sankul, Mukundnagar, due to a short circuit in the electric generator on the festival grounds. Quick and decisive action by both a vigilant citizen and the prompt response of the fire brigade prevented what could have been a catastrophic incident.
#Pune: Fire Breaks Out at Sawai Gandharva #BhimsenFestival, Prompt Action Averts Disaster pic.twitter.com/P63dGp4wYp
— Punekar News (@punekarnews) December 17, 2023
Kedar Kelkar, a citizen present at the festival, demonstrated exemplary courage by attempting to extinguish the flames using a fire extinguisher. Simultaneously, the fire engine and personnel of the fire brigade stationed on-site swiftly arrived at the scene, bringing the fire under control within moments and preventing its escalation.
In the incident, the cloth in the mandap area suffered damage, but the fire was contained to that specific location, sparing the rest of the venue from any further harm.
The efficient response was attributed to the dedicated efforts of Biju Waghmare, the driver of the fire brigade stationed at the outpost, along with jawans Sandeep Ghadshi, Ravi Bartakke, Gyanal Taru, and Akshay Chavan. Their quick and coordinated performance played a crucial role in averting a potential disaster during this renowned cultural festival.
“A wire broke and fell on the curtain at the rear end of the pandal, which caught fire. All safety measures were in place, so with the help of a fire extinguisher, it was immediately brought under control. Fire brigade personnel, which are stationed at the Sawai venue, trained security personnel, and volunteers contributed to restoring normalcy within few minutes from the incident took place”, informed Shrinivas Joshi,
Executive President, Arya Sangeet Prasad Mandal.
