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Mumbai: Around 14 residents were safely rescued following a fire that erupted in the electric duct of a high-rise building on SV Road in Jogeshwari West on Wednesday. Four people, including a senior citizen, were admitted to a private hospital due to complaints of suffocation.
Although the fire was swiftly brought under control the malfunctioning fire-fighting system of the building posed challenges during the operation, according to a fire official. An investigation will be conducted, and a notice will be issued to the building accordingly, stated the official.
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The incident occurred at EE Heights, a ground-plus-20-storey building near Delhi Darbar hotel on SV Road in Jogeshwari West on Wednesday morning. The fire was confined to the electric wiring and cables in the electric duct spanning from the 15th to the 20th floor. The Mumbai Fire brigade's two fire engines, two jumbo tankers, an ambulance, and other firefighting equipment were rushed to the spot.
"Residents were in a state of panic and hesitated to evacuate their flats. Since the fire was contained within the electric duct and had not spread to any of the flats, we were able to bring it under control within half an hour. We learned that two residents had already been taken to a private hospital before our arrival at the spot. We rescued six women, four men, and four children from these floors, guiding them safely down the staircase," said a fire official involved in the firefighting operation.
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Minaj Memon (41 years), Imran Memon (40 years), Iqbal Chunawala (71 years), and Nazima Chauhan (47 years) were admitted to a private hospital after experiencing suffocation. While Chunawala was discharged after treatment, the other three residents remain under observation and are reported to be in stable condition, according to sources from BMC's disaster management cell.
A senior fire official stated, "Prime facie, the fire appears to have been caused by a short-circuit in electric ducts due to rains. The exact cause will only be determined after further investigation. However, the fire-fighting system of the building was not operational during the operations. So a notice will be sent to the building for deficiencies in fire safety standards."
Under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, such notices are issued to buildings. Residents have between 30 to 120 days to undertake necessary actions and comply with safety regulations.
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