A big fire broke out in Chandan Nagar slum at 2:15 AM yesterday, burning down more than 250 small homes. Around 1,200 people lost their homes in this sad incident. The total loss is about ₹4.5 million (54,000 dollars).
Police and fire officers think the fire started because of a short circuit in one of the homes. They found that most houses (87%) didn’t have proper fire safety items. The city officials have promised ₹2.8 million to help build temporary homes and give basic things to the affected people.
The fire was very big, and 12 fire trucks with 45 firefighters came to stop it. It took them about 4.5 hours to control the fire. The houses were built very close to each other, only 0.8 meters apart, which made the fire spread quickly.
The government has opened three camps in nearby schools where 892 people are staying. Other people who lost their homes are living with their relatives. The city is giving emergency packets with important things worth ₹2,500 to each family.
A team of building experts is checking which houses are safe and which need to be broken down. They found 35 houses that must be removed and 48 that need big repairs. They’ll give their full report in three days.
After this incident, the city officials are making new safety rules for all slum areas. These include putting fire extinguishers every 30 meters, making emergency paths, and starting a system to watch for fires day and night. They’ll also check all slums every month for fire safety.
This incident adds to the growing list of Pune crime news that highlights the need for better safety measures in densely populated areas.
