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PMC warns housing societies: ‘Get firefighting system in order or face action’

A teenage boy died after a fire broke out at a 14-storied building in Pune on Friday.

The PMC commissioner said they will also be checking whether the societies have fire NOCs. (Source: File)

A day after the fire at a 14-storied building in Undri killed a teenage boy, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to direct all residential housing societies within its jurisdiction to get their firefighting system in order or face action.

“We will send letters to all residential housing societies to ensure that their firefighting system is properly functioning,” Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram told The Indian Express on Saturday.

On Friday, Tarsh Kamal Khetan, 15, died due to suspected suffocation in a blaze on the 12th-floor apartment of Marvel Ideal residential society. Eight people, including two fire personnel, were injured in the incident. After the fire brigade officials reached the spot, they found that the firefighting system in the society was not functional.

The PMC commissioner said, “It is a sad incident. We have launched an investigation into the incident. If the firefighting system is not functioning, then we will take action against them. We will wait for the investigation report in the matter. If any societies are found at fault, then we will FIR against them.”

The PMC chief then said, “We are giving seven days to all residential societies within our jurisdiction to ensure that their firefighting system is in order.”

Ram said the PMC will soon launch a fire audit in housing societies, hotels and hospitals.

The PMC commissioner said they will also be checking whether the societies have fire NOCs. “If they don’t, then how were the flats made saleable?… We will take action in this respect as well,” the commissioner said.

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Devendra Potphode, Chief, PMC Fire Brigade, said, “The 15-year-old boy who died was alone at home. His mother had gone out. The flat door was closed. Our initial investigation reveals that there was a short circuit in the kitchen of the flat, which resulted in the fire. Because of the intensity of the heat, the cylinder must have gotten heated… As soon as our people entered the flat by breaking the flat door, the cylinder exploded. The cylinder was probably near the kitchen wall. Two of our firemen were injured. One firefighter got a minor burn while the other suffered 4 per cent burns. The society chairman, who was actively involved in the rescue operation, has also suffered burns. We found the boy in the bedroom. It looks like the boy fell unconscious because of the smoke that filled the flat.”

Potphode further said, “The society has eight wings. I think the society has more than 500 flats. They have a good firefighting system in place… But unfortunately, we have no clue as to why the firefighting system was not functioning. We are investigating the matter, especially as to how long the fire system was not working. We will find out whether the firefighting system in all wings or in this particular F wing was not working.”

The Fire Brigade chief said, “We have been telling the residential societies that the firefighting system is for the good of their own people. They should ensure their firefighting system is working properly. In this case, if the system had been working properly, the death could have been avoided. The fire duct, in this case, was close to the flat where the blaze erupted… The Fire Brigade system responded quickly and controlled the fire within that particular flat in no time. We stopped it from spreading to other flats. The societies should remain alive and alert to the dangers of a fire. We are always there to train society members on how to handle the fire equipment.”

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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