Eight people, including two minors, died and 45 were injured after a fire broke out in a residential building in Mumbai’s Goregaon area early Friday morning. Civic officials said the blaze started around 3 am at Jay Bhavani building, a ground-plus-seven structure, in Azad Nagar locality of Goregaon West. According to ANI, four people have been discharged while five are in critical condition and are being treated for their injuries.
Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said, "8 people have died and 36 are admitted to the hospital. A committee has been formed (to investigate it). Rs 4 lakh will be given to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh to the injured. The Maharashtra government will bear all the treatment expenses of all the injured..."
A BMC official told PTI that the fire-affected residents were rushed to a trauma centre at Jogeshwari and the civic-run Cooper Hospital at Juhu. Doctors declared seven including two minors dead. An official said it took around four hours for the fire brigade to douse the fire with over eight fire engines and other firefighting equipment employed in the operation.
As many as 30 residents were rescued from the terrace and various floors of the ground-plus-seven structure, the official said.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis meanwhile condoled the deaths and assured full assistance to the victims. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said, "Pained to know about loss of lives in the fire incident at #Goregaon, Mumbai. We are in touch with BMC & Mumbai Police officials & all the assistance is being provided. My deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and wishing speedy recovery to the injured ones."
Talking to ANI, a relative of the victim said his aunt died in the fire, adding that a short circuit had occurred which later spread into a fire.
"A relative of a victim, "Our family members and relatives were there. My aunt has died. A short circuit occurred at around 1.30 am and then the fire spread... The fire spread to the 7th floor... From our family, one dead body is with them, they said they will hand it over in an hour..." he said.