Thane market fire: Massive blaze near railway station kills fireman, security guard | VIDEO

Thane: A firefighter and a security guard were killed after a massive fire broke out early Thursday at a market complex near the Thane railway station in the western state of Maharashtra, officials said.

Municipal authorities declared a "brigade call"—a designation requiring the mobilisation of maximum fire department resources—after the blaze erupted at 3:45 am at the Gamdevi market complex, an area densely packed with vegetable and clothing stalls.

Eyewitnesses reported that towering flames and dense plumes of smoke rising from the burning structures caused widespread panic among local residents.

Additional Commissioner of Police Prashant Rode confirmed to the Press Trust of India that a firefighter and a security guard lost their lives in the incident. Two additional fire personnel sustained injuries during the emergency response, according to Yasin Tadvi, chief of the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC).

Tadvi characterised the event as a major fire that completely destroyed the commercial hub, which housed numerous textile vendors, fresh produce markets, and a local municipal ward office.

"The fire broke out in the small hours of Thursday, and firefighting operations are actively underway. All available fire engines from across the city and the RDMC team have been pressed into service to bring the blaze under control," Tadvi said.

First responders encountered significant obstacles while combating the inferno because of the extensive inventory of highly flammable garments stored inside the market stalls, officials noted.

The cause of the conflagration has not yet been determined.

With inputs from PTI