Lift turns death trap in Chandivali inferno

Lift turns death trap in Chandivali inferno

FPJ BureauUpdated: Saturday, June 01, 2019, 01:16 AM IST
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Mumbai :  Maximum City may soon get the acronym of ‘Fire City’, if incidents of fire take place so frequently and at regular intervals. Just weeks after the Kalbadevi fire, a major blaze near upmarket Powai on Saturday claimed the lives of seven people, while 28 others sustained injuries.

The fire broke out on the 14th floor of a 21-storeyed building supposedly due to a short circuit in the AC of Flat No 1403 of Lake Lucerne apartment in Chandivali at around 5.30 pm, and it soon spread to the upper floor.

Fifteen fire engines, four tankers and two ambulances were rushed to the spot and it took around 4 hours for the fire-fighters to bring the blaze under control.

Out of the seven deceased, five were trapped in the lift of the building and died of suffocation even before the Mumbai fire brigade could reach the spot and rescue them, said P S Rahangdale, deputy chief fire officer.

Rahangdale said, “the lift was charred and the bodies were retrieved, however, they died before we could reach the spot. Also, a fire official who had inhaled smoke is out of danger.”

Of the 26 people who were injured in the fire, 25 were rushed to the nearby Hiranandani Hospital, while Ashok Mukherjee (60) was admitted to the National Burns Centre (NBC) in Airoli as he had suffered 35 per cent burn injuries on his legs and face.

Out of the seven dead, six were reported to be men and one woman. Out of which, three were domestic helpers and the four were residents.

Speaking to FPJ, Mazhar Thakur, chairman of Lake Lucerne Cooperative Society, alleged that it took 45 minutes for the fire officers to reach the spot after being informed of the fire.

“Also, the staff didn’t seem to be trained well to use the new ladders, as they couldn’t figure out how to reach the higher floors for quite some time,” he added.

Some weeks ago, a similar fire in a building in Kalbadevi claimed the lives of four fire officers. The four died as fire tenders could not enter the congested lane where Gokul Niwas was situated.

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