A severe fire erupted early Wednesday morning in the bustling commercial area of Khaparpura, Itwari, leading to the tragic death of a 17-year-old girl and leaving three others with serious injuries. The blaze started in the Shri Renuka Novelty Shop and swiftly spread to an adjacent perfume warehouse and nearby shops.
The deceased has been identified as Anushka Praveen Bakhde. The injured, including Praveen Bakhde and his wife, have been hospitalized, with two reported in critical condition.
Initial reports indicate that Praveen Bakhde, the owner of Shri Renuka Novelty, lives with his family above the shop. At approximately 5 am, a short circuit in the ground-floor warehouse ignited the fire while the family was asleep. The fire quickly spread throughout the building.
Firefighters succeeded in extinguishing the blaze, but substantial damage was inflicted, with materials worth lakhs of rupees reduced to ashes.
Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the exact cause and to implement measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.