Mumbai: Panic gripped Tata Nagar in Mulund East on Thursday after a major fire broke out in temporary sheds housing workers at the BMC’s Project Affected Persons (PAP) tenement site. Exploding cylinders in the canteen area intensified the chaos, forcing hundreds of workers to flee for safety. Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly two hours before finally bringing it under control. No injuries were reported, a fire official confirmed.
The blaze was reported at 1.54 pm at a labour camp behind Purva Nagar Building on Navghar Road in Mulund East. Located in the Tata Colony area, the camp was established to accommodate construction workers employed on the BMC’s PAP housing project, under which 7,439 homes are planned to be constructed.
Cylinder explosions intensify blaze
"The fire is suspected to have started as a small blaze at the site, following which several gas cylinders reportedly exploded, causing the flames to spread rapidly across the temporary structures," said a fire official. As the fire intensified, 15 fire engines, along with ambulances and personnel from Navghar police station, rushed to the spot to carry out firefighting and emergency response operations.
Workers evacuated from labour camp
BJP corporator Anita Vaity said, “The fire broke out following a suspected short circuit in the labour camp. A cylinder subsequently exploded. Since the area is open, the labourers were able to evacuate quickly. The labourers will be temporarily shifted to another location until the affected area is cleaned and made safe.”
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Forensic team examines fire site
A senior fire official said, “We were informed that around 200 to 300 workers were present at the site. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. A forensic team has also visited the site and examined the scene, while our investigation is underway.
After the fire was extinguished, we spoke to the workers and project officials to ascertain whether anyone was missing. So far, no injuries have been reported. However, we have kept a fire team stationed at the site until the area has completely cooled down and been cleared of any remaining hazards."
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