Massive fire at furniture-making unit in Maharashtra's Nagpur

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A massive fire broke out at a furniture-making unit in Nagpur city of Maharashtra on Wednesday evening, officials said. No casualties are reported but property worth crores was gutted, they said.

The blaze erupted in the furniture-making unit located on the Besa-Ghogli road at around 5:30 pm, according to a Fire Brigade official. Three fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. The smoke caused by the fire can be seen from kilometres away, he added.

He said the fire-fighting operation is facing challenges as the blaze is huge and inflammable material is present in the factory. A short circuit might have triggered the blaze, as per preliminary information.

Meanwhile, a 46-year-old man allegedly attempted to set his wife and two children on fire in his house in Nagpur district of Maharashtra over a domestic dispute by trying to cause a gas cylinder explosion, the police said on Tuesday.

The timely intervention of family members avoided a potential tragedy, the police said.

The accused held his son (14 years), daughter (8 years), and 40-year-old wife hostage inside a room at his house in Koradi area on Monday and tried to set a gas cylinder on fire, an official said, as per the PTI.

According to the PTI, a potential tragedy was averted as other members of the family rushed in in time and overpowered him, who had removed the pipe of the gas cylinder and tried to light a match, as per the FIR.

He was arrested under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said. Further investigation is underway, he said.

Meanwhile, three persons were arrested for allegedly murdering two water vendors and dumping their bodies in Kasara ghat and Vaitarna river, a police official said on Monday, the PTI reported.

The body of one of the victims was found on February 6 after which a probe began, Kasara police station senior inspector KD Kolhe said. (With inputs from agencies)