Fireworks warehouse erupts in flames in Hingoli:2 deaths claimed, fire brigade vehicle destroyed while firefighters battled massive blaze

A fire broke out at a fireworks warehouse in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on Monday night, killing two people and injuring seven others, according to preliminary reports. The blaze also damaged nearby houses and two-wheelers and destroyed a fire brigade vehicle that had reached the spot to control the flames. The fire broke out around 8 p.m. in Marwadi Galli, a densely populated area of Hingoli city. The warehouse is reportedly owned by Gopal Bastwar. The flames spread rapidly, triggering intermittent explosions as the fireworks stored inside the warehouse went off. The blasts caused panic among residents and damaged several houses and two-wheelers parked in the lane. Two bodies were recovered from the site, but they could not be identified because they were severely burned. Seven people also suffered burn injuries. Two firefighters were reportedly injured after the fire brigade vehicle deployed to the site caught fire. Narrow lanes make firefighting difficult A fire brigade official said the incident occurred in an old and heavily congested part of Hingoli. The narrow lanes made it difficult for fire engines and rescue teams to reach the warehouse and control the fire. The large crowd that gathered at the scene further hampered rescue and relief operations. The cause of the fire will be determined after the firefighting operation is completed. 12 new BEST buses gutted in Mumbai depot fire In a separate incident, 12 newly delivered buses were destroyed in a fire at the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Anik depot in central Mumbai on Monday evening. No injuries were reported. A BEST spokesperson said the fire broke out around 5:45 p.m. in the depot yard and spread to several CNG buses parked there. At least four fire engines and five water tankers brought the blaze under control after about an hour. The buses were part of a new batch and were parked in the depot yard when the fire broke out. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. Eyewitnesses said they heard explosions and saw thick black smoke rising from the depot. Some claimed that the CNG tanks of the buses exploded, though the cause of the blasts has not been officially established. ​