Pune: Two minor girls, aged 16 and 12, suffered injuries after a suspected refrigerator compressor blast caused a fire in a third-floor flat in Pimple Saudagar on Thursday afternoon.The younger girl remained trapped inside one of the bedrooms as smoke quickly engulfed the 3BHK flat, while her elder sister managed to escape after other residents opened the main door.“We received the call at 11.52am and our first fire tender reached the spot at 12.03pm. Another tender from Rahatani reached within the next few minutes. Our personnel rescued the younger girl through the bedroom window using an air-conditioning unit and a ladder,” Vyankatesh Durvas, head of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s fire brigade department, told TOI.Officials said both girls suffered minor injuries, including an injury to the arm, and were taken to a hospital. They also experienced smoke inhalation and were shaken by the incident.Preliminary information suggested that once the refrigerator compressor exploded, the blaze spread rapidly, gutting most of the belongings, which included wooden furniture and other household articles. Officials said the kitchen had been furnished only around one and a half months ago. The LPG cylinder in the flat, however, remained unaffected, and a major incident was averted.The girls were at home with their grandmother while their parents were away when the fire broke out.Fire brigade officials said the housing society’s firefighting system was non-functional and could not be effectively used during the emergency. Durvas said housing societies, particularly those in high-rise buildings, must conduct regular inspections and ensure that fire-safety equipment remains functional and ready for use during emergencies.
