In a tragic incident that unfolded in the early hours of Friday, a devastating fire swept through a residential building in Mumbai's Goregaon area, claiming the lives of seven individuals, including two minors, and leaving over 40 others injured, as reported by a civic official. The ground-plus-seven structure, initially identified as Jay Bhavani but later corrected to Jay Sandesh, witnessed a swift response from firefighters who managed to rescue 30 residents from various floors and the terrace.
The fire, which ignited around 3 am, resulted in a significant loss of life and property, with the flames engulfing the building before the arrival of firefighters. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, leaving several individuals in critical condition, according to officials. The fire-affected individuals were promptly rushed to the trauma center at Jogeshwari and the civic-run Cooper Hospital at Juhu.
Tragically, doctors declared seven, including two minors and as many women, dead on arrival, and another person succumbed to injuries during treatment, bringing the toll to seven. Expressing grief over the incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis extended condolences to the affected families and assured the provision of necessary assistance.
Before the fire brigade's arrival, the flames had extensively damaged the building, completely gutting shops, scrap material, and two-wheelers on the ground floor, as reported by fire officials. The firefighting operation, involving over eight fire engines and various equipment, took nearly three hours to bring the blaze under control.
BMC officials are actively working to ascertain if additional victims are admitted to private hospitals, and Civic Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal is scheduled to visit the hospitals where the injured are being treated.
Amidst rising flames and thick smoke, a family inside the building faced a harrowing ordeal, contemplating escape through a window as they struggled to breathe.
A 30-year-old woman, part of the affected family, shared the terrifying moments before their rescue by the fire brigade. Trapped inside their home, the family grappled with darkness, fear, and suffocation. The woman, who has a kidney ailment, described the sensation of being smothered, expressing her deep distress during the ordeal, PTI reported.
Desperation led the family to consider jumping out of a window to save their lives, but they were ultimately rescued by firefighters who knocked on their door after an hour of distressing wait. Among those rescued were small children who had been frightened and crying.
Another resident, whose family was also brought to safety by firefighters, recounted how the fire started on the ground floor around 2:30 am, catching people unaware in their sleep. The chaos unfolded as smoke and flames rapidly consumed the building.
Reports from other residents suggested hearing blast-like sounds around 3 am, prompting a rush to escape. One resident suspected the fire might have originated from the parking area where some clothes were stored.
An elderly resident on the third floor described the commotion between 2:30 am and 3 am, discovering the fire as they attempted to escape through the stairs. With the lift out of order and flames on the lower floors posing a threat, they decided to retreat to their flat and were eventually rescued by the fire brigade around 5 am.
In the midst of the tragedy, an account surfaced of a son suffering burns on both hands during a courageous attempt to descend the stairs. The injured individual was later taken to a nearby private hospital.
