Eight killed in major fire at textile factory in Solapur

Hindustan Times

19-05-2025

Eight persons, including three women and a child, were killed in a massive fire at a factory in Akkalkot Road MIDC area of Solapur on Sunday, officials said.
Prima facie, a short in the circuit triggered the blaze around 3:45 am at Central Textile Mills, that manufactures Solapuri Chaddar and towels. The factory, stood on a 12-gunta plot, had a ground-plus-two-floor structure.
The deceased have been identified as Usman Mansuri (87), owner of the company; Anas Mansuri (24); Sika Mansuri (24); Yusuf Mansuri (1.5); Ayesha Bagwan (45); and factory workers Mehtab Bagwan (51), Hina Bagwan (35), and Salman Bagwan (18).
While trying to douse the fire, Rakesh Salunkhe, chief of the Solapur Municipal Corporation's fire department, and two other firefighters sustained injuries during the rescue operations.
As soon as the fire brigade received the emergency call, multiple teams rushed to the spot and battled the blaze for over 10 hours. Ten fire engines were deployed, with water tenders arriving from Pandharpur, the NTPC project, Akkalkot, and Chincholi MIDC. However, due to the congested layout of the area, firefighters faced significant challenges in accessing and extinguishing the flames.
Firefighters used high ladders, breathing apparatus, and aerial platforms to rescue residents in nearby structures. Complicating the operation further, the factory owner had constructed a small religious place within the premises, which created additional hurdles for the rescue teams.
Despite continuous efforts, the fire could not be fully brought under control for several hours, largely due to the presence of highly flammable materials like cotton, threads, and chemical liquids.
Authorities said the factory owner and his family lived on the first floor of the building, while residential arrangements for staff were made within the same premises. This cohabitation made it difficult for occupants to escape once the fire broke out.
Sadashiv Padune, sub-divisional officer of Solapur, said, 'According to neighbours, the fire spread rapidly after a loud blast. The presence of combustible materials caused the flames to engulf the premises quickly. It took us nearly 12 hours to control the fire. Unfortunately, eight bodies have been recovered.'
BJP MLA Subhash Deshmukh and former MLA Narasayya Adam visited the site on Sunday.
Survivors and local residents expressed anger, alleging that the fire brigade's delayed response contributed to the high death toll. They claimed that the lack of modern firefighting equipment and poor preparedness hindered timely rescue operations.
Some of the victims reportedly made desperate phone calls from a bathroom where they had taken refuge, pleading for help that arrived too late.
Sadik Sheikh, a local resident, said they dialled 112 to seek help, but the fire brigade reached the spot too late. 'Because of the delayed response, the Mansuri family members were charred to death. The fire department must take responsibility for these deaths.'
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the loss of lives due to fire tragedy. Modi also wished speedy recovery for those injured in the accident.
The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia from PMNRF of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 for those injured.
In the evening, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis also expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased.
The Prime Minister's Office posted on X;'Pained by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Solapur, Maharashtra. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon.'
CPI (M) leader Narasayya Adam alleged that adequate efforts were not made to rescue the victims.
'The factory is very old and employs over 200-225 workers. The fire brigade arrived too late, allowing the fire to spread rapidly. They took more than 6–7 hours to control it. The factory owner and his family were trapped inside and no efforts were made to rescue them in time. I spoke to the municipal officer and urged immediate corrective action,' said Adam.
Adam also said he would call Maharashtra's chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, demanding an inquiry and strict action against the civic officials responsible. He also sought compensation for the victims' families.
Baba Mistry, former corporator of the Solapur Municipal Corporation, alleged that the fire brigade lacks sufficient firefighting equipment, which caused the delay in dousing the blaze, taking over 10 hours.
According to fire chief Rakesh Salunkhe they received the fire call between 4 AM and 4:15 AM. 'A total of 10 fire tankers were deployed and continuously refilled, amounting to over 50 water tanker trips.
'Open areas near the factory were occupied with stockpiles of textile yarns, blocking access to our vehicles. We had to use ladders and cut through window grills to carry out the rescue,' he said.
Solapur Municipal commissioner Sachin Ombase refuted allegations of delay.
'Our first vehicle reached the spot on time. But due to the intensity of the fire, our men could not immediately enter the premises. There was only one entry-exit point, and unauthorised structures and stockpiles blocked access. Despite this, we used ladders to gain entry and fight the fire.'
Ombase added that residential use is not permitted in MIDC areas.
'We will conduct a detailed survey and issue notices to all such factories violating these norms.'