Tardeo fire: Neighbours offer food, roof to victims

When the fire burned down Ganpat Vete Sadan building in Tardeo on Thursday, the residents were rendered homeless.

But, their big-hearted neighbours from German Darshan rushed to their aid, offering them an entire floor in their 16-storey building to live in.

The blaze and two ensuing gas cylinder blasts led to the entire south portion of the ground-plus-three-storey Ganpat Vete Sadan collapsing. Even as the fire personnel and policemen were busy in rescue work, residents of German Darshan arranged for food, sleeping requirements and toilets for their devastated neighbours.
“The entire 14th floor of our building is vacant, so we shifted the victims here. These are our people. We have known them for years,” said Amit Sawant, a resident of German Darshan. “The women cooked meals, while others arranged for drinking water and beds.”

Most of the young boys also took a day off from work to help their friends in need, said Mukesh Walse.

“Nobody should find himself in such an extreme condition. Whether the Mhada shifts them to the transit camp in the next two to three days or two to three months, we are ready to provide them shelter for however long they need,” said Shriram Pujari, another German Darshan resident.

The victims were filled with gratitude with their neighbours’ generosity. “We will never forget the help these people have provided us. It cannot be expressed in words. During such hard times, people need someone to wipe their tears and they have done so much for us,” said Devji Vinjuda, a resident of Ganpat Vede Sadan who lost his house.