Nagpur: A burning car in Ajni area certainly was not a bonfire on a chilly morning of Monday (January 16). It was a tragedy of scary magnitude. Around 9.50 am on Monday, nearby people witnessed smoke billowing from a stationary car at Trisharan Square coming under Ajni Police Station jurisdiction. Within moments, flames engulfed the car and the fire took an uncontrollable shape.
The car, a Fiat Linea (MH-31/DK 7433) belonged to Pritam Vidyadhar Wankhede and was parked at Jaibhim Nagar near Trisharan Square. Around 9.50 am, Ajni police were informed about the burning car. Cops reached the spot within 10 minutes. Pritam had kept the car running since morning. And when the car caught fire, most probably due to short circuit, the window glass exploded and the splintered glass hit Pritam on his face. His face was also singed by the leaping flames. He was immediately taken to nearby Central Point Hospital by local people.
The tragedy could have got bigger had two more cars parked beside the burning car caught fire. The two other cars, one with registration number MH-34/AA 9305 belonged to Govinda Atmaram Nimgade and the other (MH-15/CC 7860) is owned by Pritam Wankhede himself. The colours of the two cars got damaged due to intense heat of the burning car.
Fire Brigade was also informed about the fire. But before they could arrive, nearby people tried to douse the flames. Even police helped them. Finally, Fire Brigade personnel “killed” the flames.
Cops and Fire Brigade have launched a probe to ascertain the exact cause of fire.