Fire at Pune Factory: 18 Dead, PM Announces Rs 2 Lakh Ex Gratia

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said the state government would pay Rs 5 lakh each to the victims’ kin.

At least 18 people have died in a fire that broke out at a sanitiser manufacturing unit in Pune on Monday.

(Photo: Screengrab)

At least 18 people died in a fire that broke out in a sanitiser manufacturing unit in Maharashtra’s Pune on Monday, 7 June. Search for missing workers is ongoing.

Around six fire engines were rushed to SVS Aqua Technologies plant on Monday. As per the fire department, around 37 employees had been working inside the unit when the fire broke out, out of which 20 were rescued.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences and also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakhs from the PMNRF for the kin of those who died due to the fire and Rs 50,000 would be provided to those injured, ANI reported.

PTI quoted a fire department official as saying, “The fire broke out due to a spark in the packaging section. As there was plastic all around, so it spread rapidly.” Authorities had to break the walls of the premises to rescue the trapped civilians.

Most of the dead were residents of Mulshi taluka. Deputy Chief Minister and district guardian minister Ajit Pawar said the state government will pay Rs 5 lakh each to the victims’ kin.

President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

Meanwhile, Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh ordered a probe into the incident and said, “We shall wait for the enquiry panel’s preliminary report before further action.” For now, a case of accidental death has been registered, The Times of India reported.

However, the company’s export executive Sagar Shah said that a fire audit of the unit had revealed that there was no negligence.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI, Times of India and NDTV)