Thane, Apr 26 (PTI) A fireman sustained injuries in a blaze that erupted a plywood factory-cum-godown in Maharashtra’s Thane district in the wee hours of Saturday, an official said.

The fire erupted in the three-storey structure at Rahnal village in Bhiwandi around 3.30 am, and the firefighting operation was still underway, the official said.

Rajesh Pawar, chief fire officer of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC), said the injured firefighter has been admitted to a hospital with leg fractures, and his condition is stable.

He said the fire quickly engulfed the structure due to the highly combustible stock of plywood stored inside, and local fire teams, along with the disaster management cell, rushed to the scene after receiving the alert.

Four fire engines are at the site to douse the flames.

Pawar said, “This is a difficult operation. The fire cannot be fully contained for at least another day, as the godown is packed with plywood. The fire load is massive.” The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that people have been asked to avoid the area. PTI COR ARU