Senior citizen killed as fire erupts in sixth floor flat in Santacruz

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that a level 1 fire erupted inside Haripreet building and was reported to the fire brigade around 3:45pm. The fire started in a flat on the sixth floor of the C wing of the building, located on Tagore Road opposite Podar International School.

Mumbai: Sixty-one-year-old Nitesh Joshi died after fire erupted in a flat on the sixth floor of a ground plus seven-storeyed residential building in Santacruz West on Tuesday. One woman was also injured in the incident.

Mumbai, India - Aug. 15, 2023: One dead and one injured in a level 1 fire at Santacruz west area in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that a level 1 fire erupted inside Haripreet building and was reported to the fire brigade around 3:45pm.

The fire started in a flat on the sixth floor of the C wing of the building, located on Tagore Road opposite Podar International School.

Alka Kerkar, former corporator from Santacruz West, said, “From what we know, this is a case of short circuit. Mr Joshi was a professor. He slipped in his home while trying to escape the fire. This is a very tragic incident.”

The BMC said that two people, including Joshi, were extricated from the flat by fire fighters, who wore breathing apparatus and used stairs in their rescue efforts. Joshi was sent to Cooper hospital.

Joshi was declared brought dead at 4:44pm by the concerned chief medical officer, said the BMC. The woman injured in the incident was treated by the 108-ambulance doctor on the spot and discharged.

Ashish Shelar, BJP MLA, took to social media platform ‘X’ and wrote “Fire incidence at Hari prit building, Tagore Rd, Santacruz (west)! Spoke to fire officer, BMC & police! All at sight & doing all necessary things! (sic)”

The fire was confined to the sixth floor, but the building was smoke-logged, said the BMC officials.

The BMC’s disaster management department said that the fire was extinguished by Mumbai fire brigade at 5:35pm.

Hemang Doshi, a resident whose mother was in the building said, “I live a few buildings away. My brother and mother live in the ‘B’ wing of the fire-hit building. When I heard about the fire, I rushed to the spot.”

Doshi said that there was chaos. “An elderly couple lived in the flat where the fire erupted. Authorities were at the spot to bring the fire under control. As the lifts were shut due to fire, I was busy rescuing my mother from the building.”

An accidental death report has been registered at Santacruz police station.