Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Panic spread near the Seven Hills flyover when a DJ vehicle (MH-08-H-5645) caught fire at a traffic signal, sending thick smoke into the air. Bystanders gathered as flames engulfed the tempo, causing temporary congestion on Jalna Road. The owner, Nitin Vinayak Ghodke, claimed a loss of Rs 35 lakh, stating to Lokmat Times that he had taken a loan to start his DJ business three years ago.
Ghodke, a resident of Chitegaon, had outfitted his closed-body tempo with DJ sound systems and a generator. On Saturday, it was used for a wedding event in Chikalthana. The next afternoon, around 2.30 pm, the vehicle was heading back with driver Swapnil Kharwade at the wheel while Ghodke rode ahead on a two-wheeler. As the tempo halted at the High Court bench signal, smoke started billowing from inside. Moments later, flames erupted, triggering panic among motorists. Fire brigade personnel, led by duty in-charge Mohan Narke, arrived swiftly and brought the fire under control. Onlookers helped push the burnt vehicle off the road, restoring normal traffic flow. Officials suspect the generator inside the vehicle overheated due to high temperatures, sparking the blaze. Fortunately, the flames did not reach the diesel tank, preventing a major explosion.
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DJ equipment destroyed
The fire gutted 12 speakers, a DJ mixer, five amplifiers, pitch control units, a generator and two batteries. The tempo also suffered extensive damage. Ghodke, who had borrowed money from private lenders, confirmed that the vehicle was uninsured, leaving him to bear the entire financial loss.
(WITH PHOTO)