Thane: In a tragic accident, a 73-year-old grandmother and her 22-year-old granddaughter lost their lives in a massive fire that broke out in an apartment in West Ghas Bazar in Kalyan on Tuesdayat around 3:30 am. The Bazar Peth police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) and are further investigating the case, said a senior police inspector from Bazarpeth police station on Tuesday.
The deceased have been identified as Khatija Hasam Maimkar (73) and Ibra Rauf Shaikh (22).
Speaking with the FPJ correspondent Narendra Patil, senior police inspector, Bazar Peth police station, Kalyan said, "The deceased Khatija Maimkar and Ibra Shaikh used to live on the 3rd floor of Shafiq Khati Mithi building on Annasaheb Vartak Road in Ghas Bazar area in Kalyan (West). The electricity supply to this area was interrupted around midnight. A fire suddenly broke out in the outer part of Maimkar's house after the power supply started. Since it was a cold, both grandmother Khatija and granddaughter Ibra were asleep in the bedroom. They did not realize that the outer part of the house had caught fire. After some time, grandmother and granddaughter felt smoke in the house while they were sleeping. Granddaughter Ibra woke up to see smoke and flames in the house. She immediately woke her grandmother up. They tried to move out but due to heavy fire and smoke in the outer part area, they could no. Both died of suffocation due to smoke and fire engulfing the locked house. They did not get a chance to move out."
Patil further added, "Since the building is behind the police station, our team and also the fire brigade reached the spot within 10 minutes but till that time the flat was totally damaged. The contents of the house were totally damaged except the bed in the bedroom. As the fire broke out in an enclosed house, neither the motorist nor the pedestrian could see the fire from the road. The fire brigade was immediately informed but by the time fire officials reached the spot, the house was gutted. Grandmother and granddaughter were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital where doctors declared them brought dead."
Firefighters have made a preliminary estimate that the fire started due to a short circuit.
Bazarpeth police are conducting an investigation into the matter.
The people residing nearby the building are expressing grief after this tragedy in Kalyan.
