Mumbai: Two dead as fire breaks out in electronics & hardware store near Saki Naka Metro in Andheri

Mumbai: Two people died in a fire that broke out in an electrical and hardware shop in Andheri East on Sunday midnight. Due to fire the loft of the said structure and large stock of hardware fell down blocking the entrance of the shop. So the fire officials along with the civic team had to demolish front portion of the structure to douse the flames and search for missing persons. However, the fire was extinguished by 10.47 am on Monday. 

Fire confined to electric wiring, electric installations

The shop identified as Rajshree electric and hardware is located near Saki Naka metro station. The incident took place at 2.18 am during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. Fire confined to electric wiring, electric installations, large stock of hardware in an area of about 40x50ft in the hardware shop having ground plus two lofts structure.

"Since the loft and some hardware material fell after the fire, we faced difficulty in entering the structure. So with the help of civic team we had to demolish the front portion of the shop and then we could start the firefighting operations. Prime facia short circuit can be a reason behind the fire. But the exact cause will be ascertained after an investigation," said a fire official. 

5 people were asleep in the shop when fire broke out

Somnath Sangle, former corporator said, "five of them working in the shop were sleeping when the fire broke out at midnight. The three of them could run out and save their lives. But the other two got stuck when the loft and the hardware materials fell down blocking their way. The windows were closed for the board of the shop displayed on the front side. So it delayed the firefighting operations, which actually started after the demolition of the front portion." The fire officials searched for the missing person and immediately moved two injured to civic run Rajawadi hospital. Rakesh Gupta (22 years) and Ganesh Sabaram Devashi (23 years) were declared brought dead by the hospital. 

Mahadev Shinde, assistant municipal commissioner of L ward said, " The shop is old structure and had large stock of hardware because of which there was were less space inside. Our team had to break the entrance with JCB and clear the way for the fire officials. The owner of the shop is out of town and only workers were inside the structure when the incident took place."