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The building did not have a functional fire fighting system in place.
The Slum Rehabilitation building was constructed in the year 2008 in place of a slum also called Jay Bhavani. The sale component of the building known as Samarth Shrushti building was also damaged in the incident however no one was injured from this highrise. BMC commissioner IS Chahal said that none of the seven deaths were owing to fire but instead due to suffocation. “A committee will be formed to study how such disasters can be prevented in future,” said Chahal.
The BMC opened up its Unnat Nagar Municipal School premises in Goregaon West for the residents as the entire building had to be evacuated. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde declared Rs 5 lakhs compensation to relatives of those who died in Goregaon fire adding that government will pay for medical expenses for those injured
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire originated in the stilt parking area, where a significant pile of unattended rags lay. Adding to the chaos, the building’s lift had been non-functional for several months, leaving the staircase as the sole escape route. Unfortunately, the staircase was already filled with smoke due to the burning rags, trapping residents inside.
Residents also pointed out that as it was midnight, many more people were injured as during the day time most of the occupants are out at work and students are at school. The majority of the building’s occupants belong to the Waghri community, known for exchanging old clothes for steel utensils.
Close to a dozen family members were known to live together. The first three floors of the building were mainly filled with these community persons. These clothes had been stored in the stilt parking area, contributing to the rapid spread of the fire, which damaged four cars and 39 two-wheeler vehicles. Additionally, the smoke spread to an adjacent private high-rise, causing vehicle & structure damage but no injuries.
The BMC deployed two trucks to take away all the rags from the fire site in order to avoid any further damage.
Maharashtra: At least six people killed as massive fire breaks out in building in Mumbai’s Goregaon
Mumbai guardian minister Deepak Kesarkar said prima facie a short circuit caused the blaze on the stilt parking area which rapidly spread upto the higher floors. Kesarkar further said that six off the seven deceased died before arrival at the hospital. “Most of the injured were suffocated and their oxygen levels dropped so steps were immediately taken to stabilize them. Five patients we found came off fright after witnessing the blaze. Minors we have suggested to shift to Kasturba hospital as its important that plastic surgery be carried out on them well on time.
Many of the residents from the building said that they were better off in its earlier slum settlement as here they neither had drinking water and the lift also had been non functional. Rasik Chekaliya, whose aunty Nanda Bhojia died in the blaze said, “Our ladies have to struggle to even cook as there is no drinking water provided. The lift has been non functional and it feels like someone has just dumped us and left in this building,” he said.
There are some of the residents who have relocated to other accommodations after renting out their premises. They said that the absence of water supply in the building as the primary reason for their departure, allowing their relatives to occupy their rooms.
Sanjay Tirlotkar, who resides on the 7th floor of the SRA building, decided to hand his room over to his brother and move to an MHADA building adjoining the fire-affected structure. He explained that since the building’s construction, there has been a persistent lack of water supply, causing daily hardships. Tirlotkar recounted an alarming incident, stating, ‘In the middle of the night, people were screaming for help. When I reached the window of my MHADA flat, I witnessed the fire spreading to the first few floors of the SRA building. I immediately called my brother, who was asleep and unaware of the fire. I instructed him to hurry to the terrace and avoid descending, as the fire had engulfed the entire lower section. Thankfully, he and his wife reached the terrace safely.”
Tirlotkar also added, “The fire brigade vehicles arrived at the scene late.”
Watch Maharashtra: At least six people killed as massive fire breaks out in building in Mumbai’s Goregaon
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