Five injured as blaze Guts 30 two-wheelers in Dombivli residential building

The blaze erupted around 4.15 am in the parking area of Raja Apartment near Jai Bharat School. Nearly 30 two-wheelers parked in the basement were completely gutted in fire. No fatalities were reported

kaptan.mali@hindustantimes.com

A major fire broke out in a four-storey residential building in Dombivli East at around 4 am on Sunday. Five residents sustained minor burn injuries and were admitted to a government hospital. Prompt evacuation by residents and the timely arrival of the fire brigade helped avert a major tragedy. (Pramod Tambe/HT Photo)

Thane: Five residents sustained minor burn injuries after a major fire broke out in the basement of a four-storeyed residential building in Dombivli (East) in the early hours of Sunday.

According to the fire brigade, the blaze erupted around 4.15 am in the parking area of Raja Apartment near Jai Bharat School. Nearly 30 two-wheelers parked in the basement were completely gutted in fire. No fatalities were reported. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes, though cooling operations continued for a couple of hours.

Residents said smoke was first noticed rising from the basement, and within minutes thick fumes engulfed the building. Many occupants, who were asleep at the time, woke up in panic and rushed downstairs. Some sustained minor injuries while evacuating through the staircase.

The injured were identified as Suman Rawat, 44, Saurabh Rawat, 19, Garv Rawat, 21, Geeta Sawant, 45, and Radheshyam Yadav, 28. They were admitted to Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli West. Sawant and Yadav were discharged after primary treatment, while the three members of the Rawat family remain under medical care. One of the injured reportedly fractured his hand after jumping from the first floor.

Prima facie, officials suspect a short circuit in one of the electric bikes parked in the basement may have triggered the blaze, which then spread rapidly. Authorities are also examining whether miscreants accessing the parking area could have accidentally ignited the fire by discarding a lit cigarette or other inflammable material.