By Savikalpa Thapa
A 15-year-old boy was killed and eight others were injured when a cooking gas cylinder exploded while firefighters were attempting to contain a fire at a high-rise apartment in Undri. The explosion occurred shortly after the fire crews entered the flat.
The incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. in Marvel Ideal Society, a 14-storey building on Jagdamb Bhavan Road in Undri. Officials believe the fire, which broke out in a flat on the 12th floor, was triggered by a short circuit. The city fire chief, Devendra Potphode, said five fire tenders were dispatched to the scene. As the power was out and the elevator was not working, firefighters were obliged to climb stairs to reach the affected floor.
The explosion occurred just after fire crews had entered the flat and discovered the LPG cylinder in the kitchen adjacent to the entrance.The blast injured two firefighters and several residents and helpers.When the blaze was brought under control, rescuers discovered the body of the teenage boy in a bedroom he is believed to have died from suffocation. The deceased has been identified as Tarsh Kamal Khetan.
Among the injured are residents, society office bearers, security staff, and individuals who had joined in early firefighting efforts. Named victims include Mrunal Mayank (42), Yogesh Jadhav (45), Zeeshan Khan (35), Vinod Limkar (32), Rahul Sharma, Naresh Devdikar, as well as firefighters Prithviraj Khedekar and Vishwajeet Wagh.
Inspector Mansingh Patil of Kalepadal police station confirmed that the blast victims include the building’s office bearers, neighboring flat residents and security personnel. A formal investigation has begun.
Potphode emphasized that the building’s in-house firefighting system existed “on paper” but was not operational during the crisis, a failure that likely exacerbated damage and loss of life. Cooling operations are occurring, as well as additional checks to avoid further incidents.
This incident reminds us how important it is for residential buildings to not just install but maintain and regularly test fire safety measures. When a system malfunctions, a regular fire can become deadly.