Fire guts ex-Maharashtra minister Rajendra Shingne’s home—fridge to blame
You know how we all ignore that weird humming noise from our fridge until it’s too late? Well, turns out that’s exactly what might’ve sparked the fire at former Maharashtra minister Rajendra Shingne’s Buldhana residence Wednesday evening. No injuries, thank god, but the kitchen’s pretty much toast. Literally.
What went down
So here’s the scene: Around 6:30 PM, neighbors start smelling smoke. Next thing you know, Shingne’s kitchen windows are belching black clouds—the kind that makes you drop your chai and run. Fire department rolls up within 20 minutes (surprisingly quick for our area, honestly) and finds the fridge’s compressor basically exploded.
Now here’s the thing—fridges don’t just blow up for no reason. The investigators are still scratching their heads, but my money’s on either ancient wiring or that refrigerant gas leak no one noticed. Remember last year when the Kadam’s fridge in Pune caught fire? Same deal. Scary stuff.
Damage report
Let me put it this way—if you’ve ever seen those “after” pictures in a fire safety brochure? That’s Shingne’s dining area now. The marble countertops might survive, but everything else? Gone. Firefighters had to use foam because water just wasn’t cutting it. Repair bill’s probably gonna hit ₹5-6 lakhs at least.
And get this—the family wasn’t even home. Domestic staff got out fine, but imagine coming back to find your kitchen looking like a tandoor. Shingne told reporters he’s “just relieved everyone’s safe,” which, fair enough. Though I’d be crying over my mom’s lost pickle jars.
Why fridges turn into bombs
- Wiring issues: Old compressors working overtime = disaster waiting to happen
- Gas leaks: That cooling stuff? Crazy flammable apparently
- Dust bunnies: Never cleaned behind your fridge? Congrats, you’ve made a fire hazard
How not to die (probably)
Local fire officer Nimbalkar—who’s seen way too many of these—gave me the real talk:
- Get your fridge serviced yearly. Yes, even if it “seems fine”
- If it starts sounding like a dying autorickshaw, unplug that thing immediately
- Going on vacation? Switch off appliances. Basic, but we all forget
The political angle
Shingne’s NCP buddies are calling it “an unfortunate accident”—which it is—but Twitter’s having its usual field day. Some folks are like “minister can’t even maintain his fridge” while others are posting prayer hands emojis. Classic.
Honestly? Doesn’t matter if you’re a politician or not. This could happen to anyone with an aging appliance. My cousin’s Samsung fridge gave up last monsoon—just started smoking one day. We got lucky.
The takeaway
Moral of the story: That weird noise your fridge makes at 3 AM? Probably worth checking out. And maybe don’t put off servicing like I’ve been doing for… three years? *nervously eyes kitchen*
Useful links:
- Maharashtra’s fire safety helpline (they actually pick up!)
- How to check if your fridge model’s recalled
- Best fire extinguishers for homes (get the powder one, trust me)
Source: Hindustan Times – India News
