Fire erupts at college in Thane, auditorium gutted

Thane, Jul 15 (PTI) A major fire broke out at a private college in Maharashtra's Thane district on Wednesday morning, gutting its auditorium and a battery backup room on the sixth floor, an official said. No person was injured in the blaze that erupted at around 6 am in the educational institute located in Mira Bhayander township, local civic body's chief fire officer Prakash Borade told PTI. "The fire broke out in the auditorium of the educational institute and spread to the battery backup room on the sixth floor. Both were completely destroyed in the blaze," he said. Eight fire engines and four water tankers were pressed into service. The firefighting operation continued for nearly one and a half hours before the blaze was brought under control, Borade said. Firefighters managed to prevent the flames from spreading to other parts of the building, saving the institute's computer rooms and a couple of adjoining rooms from being damaged, he said. Preliminary findings suggest that the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit, though the exact cause is yet to be established, the official said. PTI COR GK