Solapur, Maharashtra – A devastating fire broke out at Central Textile Mills in Solapur’s MIDC area early Sunday morning, claiming the lives of eight people, including a toddler. The fire raged for nearly 13 hours, injuring three firefighters and requiring over 100 water tankers and multiple fire tenders to bring it under control.
Key Details of the Incident:
- Casualties:
- The deceased included the factory owner, Haji Usman Hasanbhai Mansuri (80), his grandson Anas Hanif Masuri (25), Anas’s wife Shifa Anas Mansuri (20), and their one-and-a-half-year-old son Yusuf Mansuri.
- Four others, identified as worker Mehtab Sayyad Bagwan (45), his wife Ashabanu (38), their son Salman (20), and daughter Hina (26), also lost their lives.
- Three victims died from severe burns, while five succumbed to suffocation caused by the thick smoke.
- Firefighting Efforts:
- The fire, which started around 3:45 am due to a suspected short circuit, was controlled by 5 PM but reignited during cooling operations and was finally extinguished by 8 PM.
- Fire tenders from Solapur Municipal Corporation, Pandharpur, Akkalkot, and other nearby areas were mobilized.
- Rescue Operations:
- Firefighters discovered the bodies of the Mansuri family in a bedroom on the factory premises. Yusuf was found in his mother’s arms.
- It took nearly 13 hours to locate and recover all the victims due to the intensity of the blaze.
- Government Response:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased.
Additional Information:
The victims were reportedly asleep when the fire broke out. Officials stated that five individuals tried to take shelter in a bedroom but were trapped and succumbed to burns and suffocation. The fire is believed to have been triggered by a short circuit, though investigations are ongoing.
