7 die in Mumbai high-rise fire

At least seven people died and 25 were injured in a major fire that broke out in a 21-storeyed residential building at Chandivali near Powai on Saturday evening. According to fire officials, five people tried to escape by taking the lift after the fire broke out and died even before the Mumbai Fire Brigade could reach the spot.

One of the 28 injured being rescued. (Source: Express Photo by Pradip Das)

Combing operations are still on. Among those injured, 11 men and 11 woman, of which Ashok Mukherjee, a resident who was rescued, suffered serious burn injuries and was taken to the National Burns Centre at Airoli. His condition was reportedly serious.

Further, three people were injured in another fire that broke out in Bandra slums, where the fire brigade rushed 11 fire engines on Saturday evening. The two fires come two weeks after four firemen died while fighting a major fire in Kalbadevi. According to fire officials, the fire broke out on the 13th floor of the Chandivali building and spread to the 14th and 15th floor of Lake Homes phase-III.

The fire brigade sent 15 fire engines and managed to rescue five people from inside the flat on the 14th floor, “The five persons’ bodies were retrieved from the lift after they tried to escape form the lift after the fire broke out. Sadly, they used the lift after the fire broke out, although we have always maintained not to do so and died even before we could reach the spot,”  said PS Rahangdale, deputy chief fire officer.

According to reports, four persons died in the lift, one in the passageway. Residents Ashwin Bhatia and one more died on floor 19 due to heat and smoke.