Neta seeks fire safety audit of civic infrastructure in Thane after Gaondevi market blaze

Thane: Following the Gaondevi market fire last week that killed a fire brigade station officer and a security guard and injured three others, the BJP in Thane has now demanded an urgent review of the city’s firefighting preparedness across public structures, including civic ward offices, hospitals, markets, among others, ahead of the next general body meeting.

BJP corporator Namrata Koli has raised concerns over alleged lapses in fire preparedness and the absence of regular safety audits of civic-owned buildings. In a letter to mayor Sharmila Pimpalolkar, Koli sought a detailed discussion in the upcoming general body meeting on the functioning, inadequate staff and infrastructure of the Thane Fire Brigade.

“Preliminary findings in the Gaondevi market blaze revealed inadequate firefighting systems at the market, prompting fresh concerns over fire readiness at public facilities. Thane’s rapid urbanisation and the rise of high-rise buildings have increased pressure on the fire department, which continues to face staff shortages and infrastructure gaps. There is a need to modernise the department to respond swiftly to emergencies,” she said.

Meanwhile, activists have also pointed out how barely 300 staff work in shifts to handle the safety of nearly 25 lakh residents of the city, underlining the acute staff crunch at such a crucial department. The abrupt relocation of the Jawahar Baug fire station due to the ongoing redevelopment work, leaving the dense station area at the mercy of far-off stations, has also raised questions among activists.

NCP SP MLA Jitendra Awhad questioned the delay in filling up vacancies and questioned whether the administration wanted to hire staff on contract for such crucial jobs. Thane Congress president Rahul Pingale claimed he wrote to the administration with adequate proof of the imminent dangers at the facility last year, which went unnoticed.