25-30 fires in two days in Vasai-Virar during Diwali; PVC pipes burn in Vasai East

Fire incidents have risen sharply in Vasai-Virar during the Diwali festival. In the past two days, about 25 to 30 fires, big and small, have broken out in the city.

Meanwhile, a major fire broke out between 4 pm and 4.15 pm in PVC pipes lying near the crematorium close to the traffic police godown in Vasai East. The pipes had been dumped there without permission. The fire sent up plumes of black smoke that were visible from many parts of Vasai-Virar.

On receiving news of the fire, fire officer Vishal Shirke reached the spot with his team and brought it under control. It has been said that the contractor's work was complete, yet the old PVC pipes were left lying on municipal corporation land. The preliminary assessment is that the rising heat, dry grass and sparks from falling firecrackers or rockets fuelled the fire.

After the incident, BJP corporator Vishal Jadhav expressed strong displeasure with the working of the municipal corporation and the police. According to him, party leader Ashok Shelke had complained three to four days earlier about the contractor's material being kept on municipal land. The issue of pipes lying on the road and abandoned vehicles had also been raised in the general body meeting. Jadhav alleged that officials, used to five years of administrator rule, do not heed complaints from elected representatives.

Jadhav also said that the movement of addicts around vehicles seized outside the Achole police station and municipal garbage vehicles parked on the road has increased, leading to fires. He said a vehicle caught fire outside Veena Dynasty at about 11 am, and there was also a fire incident near Imperial building.

In view of the rising incidents, fire officer Vishal Shirke and corporator Vishal Jadhav have appealed to people not to set off fancy shots or rockets that go to a height in the compounds of 21-storey buildings. They urged people to burst firecrackers only in open grounds, so that others' Diwali is not spoiled and loss of life is averted.

Shirke said, "A call came at around 4.15 pm about a fire in PVC pipes near the crematorium. The grass is dry everywhere because of the October-November heat. So far during Diwali, there have been 25 to 30 fire incidents in the city. People should not burst firecrackers in crowded places and building compounds; they should burst them safely in open grounds."

Jadhav said, "Contractors' pipes and garbage vehicles are being dumped on municipal corporation land and on the roads. Despite repeated complaints, officials do not take this seriously. People too should celebrate Diwali in open grounds, without bursting fancy firecrackers in the compounds of tall towers."