Fire in 15-storey building in Mumbai; Residents evacuated – Hindustan Times

The electric metre box of a 15-storey high rise building in Mumbai’s Thakurli caught fire on Saturday morning around 9.20am with the blaze that spread across the duct comprising electric wires reaching till the top floor of the building and releasing thick smoke all over, claimed the fire officials who rushed to the spot with two fire tenders.

No injuries were reported in the incident that occurred in the building, Sarvodaya Hills, located at Thakurli, Dombivli, according to the firemen present at the spot. However, 15 residents, who suffered from suffocation, were taken to the Shastrinagar civil hospital while two, who were critical, were shifted to a private hospital in Dombivli.

“The blaze did not enter any of the flats, however, the smoke covered the entire building. Thick smoke was released from the duct which led to suffocation in the building premises. Our team reached the spot on time and evacuated all the residents. The blaze was doused too,” said Dattatreya Shelke, fire officer, Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation.

Durgesh Upadhyay, 40, whose wife was also taken to the hospital said, “My wife was also admitted as she suffered from suffocation. She was on Oxygen and later discharged. Two of the residents are critical. The thick smoke entered the flats with pressure. Some of the flats’ main doors were also damaged including mine.”

A total of eight firemen helped evacuate the residents and the fire dousing measures were undertaken.

“We evacuated the residents first so that there is no injury. The entire electric wires in the duct are charred, “ said Shelke.

“There is a lot of fluctuations in the electricity supply in the area. The voltage keeps fluctuating also we face power cuts. We have been complaining about the same to the MSEDCL (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd), however, no action was taken,” said Upadhyay.