At least five people, including three senior citizens and a minor, suffered suffocation after a fire broke out in a 14-storey MHADA building located in Kanjurmarg East. They were identified as Vimal Jalinder Sakte, 74, Alka Sakte, 40, Natasha Sakte, 13, Anjali Mavlankar, 60, and Karuna Ubale, 65. The preliminary cause behind the mishap is known to be a case of a short circuit.
The incident was reported on Sunday morning at around 9.26am from MHADA Colony's P-2 building in Karve Nagar. A passerby alerted the Mumbai Police control room, which in turn, informed the Fire Brigade.
Fire started in the meter box room on the ground floor
According to the BMC officials, the fire erupted at the fourth floor and was confined to the electric wiring of the building. It started from the ground floor inside the meter box room, which further engulfed wiring installations on the fourth floor as well as the electricity ducts leading to the upper floors.
Consequently, five residents of the fourth floor choked due to thick smoke. They were immediately rushed to the nearby Dr BR Ambedkar Hospital and are said to be in stable condition now. By 9.57am, the fire was extinguished, confirmed the officials.
