A significant blaze erupted at a vacant food outlet on the third floor of Phoenix Marketcity, a prominent shopping mall located in the Vimannagar area of eastern Pune, on Friday afternoon around 3:30pm. In an immediate response to the emergency, approximately 2,500 shoppers along with 600 staff members were swiftly evacuated from the premises to ensure safety and prevent any casualties or injuries.
Yerawada fire station officer, Navnath Waykar, indicated that the cause of the fire was under investigation. He detailed that the dense smoke, which hampered visibility and exacerbated the situation, was a result of the combustion of electrical wiring and furniture, including chairs and tables, left behind in the now-vacant outlet.
To tackle the emergency, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) fire brigade deployed five fire tenders and a snorkel vehicle. The snorkel—a piece of equipment designed for such scenarios—proved vital as firefighters utilized it to break open some of the third-floor ventilators, which had been sealed with aluminium shutter frames, to ventilate the smoke and gases trapped within the building.
Firefighters, donned in specialized breathing apparatus suits to safeguard against smoke inhalation, were able to bring the fire under control within thirty minutes, with a complete extinguishment achieved in the subsequent fifteen minutes, according to Waykar.
The incident drew a significant crowd of onlookers, including both evacuated individuals and passersby, which led to a temporary commotion and traffic disruptions in the vicinity of the mall. To prepare for any eventualities, two ambulances were stationed on site, and the police executed a comprehensive security cordon to manage the large gatherings and ensure public safety.
Anshuman Bhardwaj, the centre director of Phoenix Marketcity, praised the rapid action and effectiveness of the mall’s emergency response team, which facilitated the safe evacuation of nearly 2,500 customers and 600 employees within just fifteen minutes. Bhardwaj highlighted the mall’s strict adherence to safety protocols and regular organization of fire safety drills as critical factors in averting injuries and minimizing property damage.
The adherence to fire safety norms by the mall authorities was confirmed by Devendra Potphode, the chief fire officer of PMC, who acknowledged the establishment’s compliance with mandatory fire safety requirements and procedures, underscoring the rigorous approach taken towards ensuring the safety of mall occupants and staff.
Phoenix Marketcity is a bustling commercial hub in Pune, boasting over 300 retail outlets spanning diverse lifestyle brands, 20 restaurants, and a vast food court across an 11,900 lakh square meter area. The mall, which encompasses six floors including basement and parking spaces, typically experiences a footfall of at least 35,000 visitors on Fridays and weekends, making it one of the most frequented destinations in the city.
Details emerged that the food outlet where the fire initiated had been closed since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving behind furniture and other materials that likely contributed to the fire’s rapid spread.
Mall patrons and employees shared their experiences of the sudden emergency. Rameshwari Mirasdar, an employee at a salon situated on the second floor, recounted the moment they were alerted about the fire, noting the visible thick smoke emanating from the third floor. Meanwhile, a customer named Adesh Mod shared the panic and confusion experienced during the evacuation, highlighting the challenging situation of having to leave the mall immediately without understanding the reason behind the urgent directive.
An employee of the multiplex within the mall revealed that at the time of the fire, approximately 300 individuals were present in the cinema. In an effort to prevent panic and ensure a controlled evacuation, the shows were canceled, and attendees were asked to leave without being informed about the fire, underlining the efforts made to maintain calmness and order during the emergency response.
Source