Massive blaze engulfs Thane market complex near railway station; fireman, guard killed

THANE: A fireman and a security guard were killed while two other firemen suffered injuries in a massive fire that broke out at the Gaondevi public vegetable market building located near Thane railway station in the early hours of Thursday, officials informed.The deceased have been identified as Kalu Gadekar (M/ 53) who worked as a Security Guard at the facility while the other deceased is Sagar Shinde (M/ 43) who worked as a station officer with the Thane fire brigade. The injured are firemen Sujit Pashte (M/45) and Sameer Jadhav (M/40). Harsh Dhumal, (M/ 19), a trainee fireman also complained of discomfort due to smoke inhalation during the fire-fighting exercise, said officials.The injured have been admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa, and are undergoing treatment.According to information received by the Disaster Management Cell, BJP Corporator Sanjay Waghule alerted them about the fire at the Gaondevi Vegetable Market building off Gokhale Road around 4am. The three storey building houses vegetable, fruit and garment stalls on the ground floor. Huge flames and thick smoke were billowing from the burning structure, according to locals triggering panic in the area, eyewitnesses said.The stock of garments stored inside the stalls made the fire fighting challenging, officials said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.As many as 5 fire engines, 3 jumbo water tankers, 2 water tankers, 4 rescue vehicles and Disaster Management Cell staff with a pickup vehicle and three Thane Municipal Corporation ambulances along with a 108 ambulance service and private water tankers were deployed.