600 huts gutted in Bhavani Peth

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal" style="" text-align:="" justify="">PUNE: Around 600 hutments were gutted in the Kasewadi area in Bhavani Peth in a major blaze which broke out around 9.30 pm on Thursday. Though there were no preliminary reports of casualties, locals said a number of people had sustained minor injuries.<br /><br />The fire continued to rage late into the night.The entire area was covered with smoke, which hampered rescue operations. Narrow lanes made it difficult for firemen to reach the spot. Successive cylinder blasts too held up rescue operations. Nearly 40-50 fire tenders and tankers from the PMC, PCMC, KCB and the PCB were rushed to the site.<br /><br />The fire broke out in the central area of the slum, inhabited predominantly by the Muslim and Padmashali weavers communities.<br /><br />Local MLA Ramesh Bagwe, who was at the spot supervising rescue and relief work, said thought the cause of the fire wasn''t clear, it may have been caused by a cylinder blast or a short circuit.<br /><br />The block includes 3,000 huts. Local corporator Subhash Lodha said the machinery failed in a big way. Locals said the snorkel reached only at 10.30 pm.<br /><br />The affected families were moved to the Sonmarg theatre area. A mild lathicharge was ordered to control the crowd.</div> </div>