A mysterious fire broke out in Manpada, situated along the border of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), and spread within the jungle area before being contained by a joint rescue team comprising municipal and forest staff on Monday night, officials informed.
The incident was reported around 8 pm, following which a combined team of forest and Thane municipal rescue teams rushed to the spot located in an inaccessible area bordering the city and the jungle.
The quantum of area affected by the fire is yet to be confirmed as the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and the forest department are yet to ascertain the jurisdiction of the affected area. While Yasin Tadvi, in-charge at the regional disaster management cell, stated that a major portion of the affected area was within the forest area, Range Forest Officer Mayur Survase claimed otherwise.
"The blaze was spreading fast, and both the forest and our municipal teams attended to the call. We could manage to contain the blaze in the accessible areas, but as the fire kept spreading, it was becoming difficult for our teams to navigate the area. Luckily, the fire was contained after sustained joint efforts," said Tadvi.
Meanwhile, the incident has raised questions among locals, especially after a spate of fires triggered in the forest area along the same stretch last month. The joint operation successfully prevented the fire from causing extensive damage, but concerns remain over the recurring incidents in the region.
