Fire Destroys 23 Vehicles in Diva’s Sabegaon; Police Probe Possible Arson

Diva (Thane), Oct 13 : A major fire destroyed 23 vehicles, including 22 two-wheelers and an autorickshaw, parked along a roadside in the Sabegaon area of Diva in Thane district early Tuesday, causing substantial financial losses to their owners. Mumbra police have launched an investigation to determine whether the blaze was accidental or the result of deliberate arson.

The incident occurred at around 2 am on the road opposite Adarsh Vidyalaya, where residents had parked their vehicles overnight. The fire reportedly spread rapidly from one vehicle to another, engulfing all 23 vehicles before the flames could be brought under control.

After receiving information about the incident, personnel from Mumbra police station and the Thane Municipal Corporation’s fire brigade rushed to the spot. Firefighters, assisted by local residents, worked to extinguish the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. The fire was brought under control at approximately 3.16 am.

However, all 23 vehicles had suffered extensive fire damage by then, leaving their owners facing considerable financial losses. The exact extent of the damage is yet to be assessed.

Among the damaged vehicles was an autorickshaw bearing registration number MH 04 KX 6216. The identified two-wheelers included a Hero motorcycle (MH 08 AE 2150) owned by Ramesh Khochade, a Hero Passion Pro (MH 01 CY 7635) owned by Sameer Jadhav, a Honda SP 125 (MH 04 MK 6406) belonging to Rakesh Tichkule, and a Honda Activa (MH 01 EH 4289) owned by Sandeep Sharma.

Other affected vehicles included a Honda Shine (MH 04 JE 9234) owned by Suyog Shirgaonkar, a Suzuki Avenis (MH 04 MS 1135) belonging to Poonam Gupta, a TVS Jupiter (MH 08 BD 8447) owned by Balkrishna Kadam, a TVS Ntorq (MH 06 CN 9689) belonging to Keshav Shigwan, and a Bajaj Pulsar (MH 04 LV 7809) owned by Mahesh Pitale.

The list also included a Honda Shine 125 (MH 03 FF 2947) owned by Vishant Sakpal, another Honda Shine 125 (MH 04 KK 6489) belonging to Satish Karkare, a Hero Splendor (MH 04 LP 8492) owned by Vivek Chauhan, a Suzuki Access (MH 08 BH 8726) belonging to Shailesh Lodhat, and another two-wheeler bearing registration number MH 45 R 7424, owned by Laxman Shinde.

The registration numbers and ownership details of the remaining eight vehicles were not immediately available.

Police are examining the scene and investigating the circumstances that led to the fire. Officials are looking into the possibility of an accidental outbreak as well as suspected deliberate ignition. The exact cause of the blaze remains unknown, and no conclusion has been reached regarding the possibility of arson.

The incident has renewed concerns among residents about the lack of adequate parking facilities in several residential buildings in Diva. With limited parking space available, many residents are compelled to leave their vehicles along roadsides overnight, exposing them to risks such as fire, theft and damage.

The destruction of 23 vehicles has highlighted the financial vulnerability of vehicle owners and raised fresh questions about parking arrangements and vehicle safety in densely populated residential areas.