3 die of suffocation, burn injuries in fire at eatery in Pune's Market Yard

PUNE: Three employees died of suffocation and burn injuries in a fire that broke out in the 'Reval Siddha' eatery near gate number one of the Gultekdi Market Yard around 1am on Tuesday.
"The cause of the fire is being ascertained. We suspect the blaze may have started from the kitchen," Pune's fire brigade chief Devendra Potphode told TOI.

Senior inspector Anagha Deshpande of the Market Yard police identified the deceased as Shashikant Sonba Gadappa (28) of Solapur, Munna Motilal Rathod (37) of Nanded and Sandeep (25). "Gadappa was working with the eatery for the last five years, while Rathod and Sandeep had joined the eatery only two days ago. The eatery is owned by Katraj-Kondhwa Road resident Sunil Vhanmane, who has been summoned to join the investigation," Deshpande said.
"The three employees were sleeping on the mezzanine floor inside the eatery when the fire broke out. The eatery shutter was locked from inside and they had the keys, but due to the fire, the shutter might have become too hot for them to touch. They kept screaming for help from inside. They even made frantic calls to Vhanmane for help, but all in vain," Deshpande said.
The firemen used a cutter and an axe to cut open the shutter. Dense smoke inside the eatery, however, made the rescue difficult. By the time the rescuers moved in, Gadappa and Sandeep were lying motionless. They took the three to the Sassoon hospital where the doctors declared Gadappa and Sandeep dead. Rathod succumbed to his injuries during treatment. "All of them had suffered burn injuries," Deshpande said.
Vhanmane's cousin told TOI, "I have come here to help him in this time of distress."
Pune fire brigade chief Potphode said, "We received an emergency call at 1.08am, after which two fire tenders rushed to the spot. Our men also removed four LPG cylinders out of the eatery and controlled the fire in few minutes."
Deshpande said, "An accidental death case has been registered for now."