Pune: PMC’s Dry Waste Processing Project in Dhayari Gutted in Fire
Dhayari, 14th March 2025: A massive fire broke out at Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) dry waste processing project in Dhayari early Friday morning, reducing the facility to ashes. The fire has disrupted the handling of nearly 50 tonnes of dry waste, forcing PMC to explore alternative arrangements.
The facility, located near the Pari Company in Dhayari, was set up to manage rejected dry waste that cannot be processed elsewhere. Waste from various parts of the city is brought here, where it is shredded into smaller pieces. However, around 2:30 AM, a fire erupted, quickly escalating and sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky.
Fire Department Station Officer Prabhakar Umbratkar stated, “The fire was massive, and we had limited space to maneuver water tankers. It took five fire engines and 14 tankers nearly an hour and a half to douse the flames.”
A sheet shed housed 12 workers and their families at the site. They were asleep when the fire broke out, but one worker woke up and alerted the others just in time. Everyone managed to evacuate before the fire engulfed the area, but their belongings, including clothes and utensils, were completely destroyed. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
PMC officials assured that despite the loss, waste collection and processing will not be affected.
Sandeep Kadam, Deputy Commissioner of PMC’s Solid Waste Management Department, said, “The 50-tonne capacity dry waste project at Dhayari has been destroyed in the fire. The waste that was being sent here will now be redirected to another facility. This incident will not disrupt waste collection and processing.”
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, while efforts are underway to restore waste management operations.
