Pune: A fire broke out in the basement of the Mandai underground Metro station around Sunday midnight after sparks from welding works fell on foam material used as insulators in the airconditioning ducts. Firemen, equipped with breathing devices, took about an hour to douse the blaze amid dense smoke. Nobody was injured.
The station, located near the iconic Mandai building, was opened for commuters last month, along with two others. Maha Metro officials said the fire did not impact regular operation on the PCMC-Swargate section, of which the Mandai underground station was a key halting point. "The operations resumed on the section as usual at 6am on Monday," an official said.
Maha Metro's executive director (PR) Hemant Sonawane said, "An inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Action, including penalty, will be taken against the contractor concerned..
.We are in the process of beefing up safety inspections at all Metro stations where works are currently under way." He said no work would be allowed during the daytime in the areas open for commuters.
"During the night hours, strict vigil will be maintained to avoid any untoward incident. Barricading will be in place round-the-clock at the locations where works are going on," Sonawane said, confirming that welding work was under way at Mandai station when the insulating material meant for air-conditioning caught fire. "A fire safety team rushed to the spot, along with PMC's fire department officials soon after the incident," .