Fire breaks out in Kasheli area of Bhiwandi in Maharashtra, damaging several furniture warehouses

Bhiwandi: A major fire broke out in the Kasheli area of Bhiwandi on Thursday morning, gutting several furniture warehouses in what is known as the largest and most affordable furniture market in Thane district. The blaze, which reportedly started in a single godown at the Chamunda Complex, quickly spread to nearby units due to the highly combustible materials stored inside.Fire officials said the flames engulfed around seven to ten adjoining warehouses within a short span, triggering panic among traders in the busy market area. The incident, occurring on the day of Gudi Padwa, dealt a significant blow to the owners of the warehouses.Teams from the Bhiwandi and Thane fire stations rushed to the spot and pressed multiple fire engines into service. Fire officer Bapu Sonawane said that the fire broke out at around 11.30 am and was brought under control after nearly five hours, around 5 pm. "No casualties have been reported in the incident. However, the fire caused extensive damage to multiple warehouses, with losses estimated to run into several crores," a fire official said.Firefighters initially faced difficulties due to a shortage of water, which briefly hampered operations. The situation improved after additional water tankers were brought in from the Thane Municipal Corporation, officials added.Authorities also said that firefighting operations had to be carried out cautiously due to high-tension power lines passing over the affected structures.The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, officials said, adding that further investigations are underway.