Diwali tragedy in Mumbai: Four dead, including Malayali family of three, in apartment fire
FOUR people, including three members of a Malayali family, died and ten others were injured after a fire broke out at an apartment complex in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, early Tuesday.
According to media reports, officials received calls about fires at 32 locations across Mumbai on Diwali (Monday).
The deceased have been identified as six-year-old Vedika Sundar Balakrishnan, her parents Sundar Balakrishnan (44) and Pooja Rajan (39), natives of Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram, and Kamala Hiralal Jain (84), a resident of Mumbai.
The blaze erupted around 12.40 am in the B Wing of Raheja Residency, MG Complex, Sector 17. Preliminary reports suggest that a short circuit triggered the fire, which began on the 10th floor before spreading to the 11th and 12th floors.
An elderly woman on the 10th floor was the first victim, followed by the Malayali family living two floors above. Around ten residents sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals. The fire was brought under control by 4 am.
Family trapped inside flat
According to Sudheesh P, a friend of Sundar and a member of the Foundation of All Internal Malayalee Association, Maharashtra (FAIMA), the family could not escape when the fire broke out.
“We were told that an AC burst following a short circuit caused the fire. Sundar and his family may have fallen unconscious due to the smoke. Other flat residents managed to get out,” Sudheesh told Onmanorama.
The bodies of Sundar, Pooja and Vedika will be handed over to relatives after the post-mortem at the Municipal Hospital in Vashi. The cremation will be held at Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, on Tuesday afternoon.
Back-to-back fire incidents in Navi Mumbai
The Vashi blaze comes just a day after a fire in Mumbai’s Cuffe Parade killed a 15-year-old boy and injured three others.
In the past week, multiple fire incidents have been reported in Navi Mumbai, including a blaze at a manufacturing unit in Rabale. Although no injuries were reported in that incident, firefighters battled the flames for hours before bringing them under control.
