Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Apr 26: A devastating fire broke out in a residential high-rise in Mumbai’s Lokhandwala area in Andheri (West) early Saturday morning, claiming the life of a 34-year-old woman and injuring six others, including a 10-day-old infant.
According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the blaze erupted around 2:40 a.m. in the Broke Land Building near Ashok Academy Lane. Firefighters managed to contain the flames to Flat 104 on the first floor and fully extinguished the fire by 5:30 a.m.
The deceased, identified as Abhina Kartik Sanjanvalia, was rushed to Cooper Hospital but succumbed to injuries en route. Her family member, Kartik Sanjanvalia, 40, is currently receiving treatment for smoke inhalation.
Five fire engines were deployed to tackle the fire, which officials suspect may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit. However, the exact cause remains under investigation. The fire reportedly destroyed furniture, mattresses, clothing, air-conditioners, and other electrical fixtures within the affected apartment.
The injured, taken to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, were identified as 10-day-old Pradumna Gupta, three-year-old Rihan, Daya Gupta (21), Aparna Gupta (41), and Polam Gupta (40).
This tragedy echoes another recent fire in the Lokhandwala Complex. In October 2024, a blaze on the 10th floor of the 15-storey Riya Palace building resulted in the deaths of three residents, including a visually impaired person. That fire prompted renewed calls to operationalize a fire station on a plot designated for the purpose over 30 years ago.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident on Saturday, a major fire engulfed a plywood warehouse in Bhiwandi’s Rahnal village, Thane district. The blaze, which began around 3:30 a.m. in a three-storey building, took hours to bring under control. Four fire tenders were involved in the operation.
One firefighter from the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) suffered a leg fracture during the intense firefighting efforts. Officials noted that the large volume of plywood stored in the facility made containment particularly difficult.
Both incidents highlight the urgent need for enhanced fire safety measures and rapid-response infrastructure in densely populated urban and industrial areas.