Divyanka Tripathi, Vivek Dahiya escape apartment fire with twins, mourn building guard who died of suffocation

After a fire at her building claimed the life of guard Dhanpat Mahatu, Divyanka Tripathi shared an emotional tribute.

Television actors Divyanka Tripathi and Vivek Dahiya are mourning the death of their building's security guard, whom they fondly called ‘Dhanpat uncle’. In a joint Instagram post, they shared that a fire broke out at their apartment building on Saturday, a day before Diwali. The couple revealed that while they managed to escape safely with their family members and kids, their building's guard lost his life.

Divyanka Tripathi and Vivek Dahiya mourn building guard who died of suffocation.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, a fire broke out in a 17th-floor apartment at Runwal Tower in Andheri West on Saturday night, claiming the life of a 56-year-old liftman who died of smoke suffocation. The deceased was identified as Dhanpat Mahatu. He was found unconscious in the lift lobby and was declared dead at Cooper Hospital at around 2 am on Sunday.

Divyanka Tripathi remembers building guard who blessed her twins

On Tuesday, the couple shared an emotional note on Instagram, recalling how Dhanpat was among the first people to welcome and bless their twin boys when they brought them home after their birth. Sharing an old video of the guard blessing their babies as they entered the building for the first time, they spoke about the special place he held in their lives.

In the post, the couple also shared visuals from their apartment's window showing flames coming out of another apartment. The actors revealed that they had plans to step out that evening, but their departure kept getting delayed. They were at home when the incident occurred, which allowed them to spot the danger in time and evacuate with their babies, family members and staff.

"For a while, we thought we had escaped with only a frightening memory and material damage. Until we heard about Dhanpat Uncle. Vivek and I struggled to accept the news. Even as we took refuge at a friend’s home, we kept hoping, praying that somehow it wasn’t true," they added.

The actors also shared that electricity was gradually restored as Diwali arrived, while the gas supply and lifts were reinstated the following day after safety checks. However, they said normalcy did not return for the residents, as the fire had left a deep emotional impact on them.

'Dhanpat uncle was a part of our everyday lives'

Remembering the security guard, the couple said his death had left a void in their lives. They added that when their sons are old enough, they will tell them about the kind man who welcomed them home with his blessings.

"The fire dimmed the lights of our home that Diwali, but the loss of a precious life left a darkness in our hearts that no amount of light can undo. It’s taken us time to even find the words to speak about that night. Dhanpat Uncle, you were never just the guard of our building. You were part of our everyday lives, someone we trusted, someone we had imagined in our children’s tomorrow. We will miss you deeply," they wrote.

They concluded the note by remembering his kindness and urging people not to take anyone's presence in their lives for granted. They also prayed for his soul to rest in peace.

About fire at Runwal Tower

According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the fire was reported at around 9.50 pm on Saturday from Runwal Tower’s Flat number 1702. An assistant fire officer shared that a lit diya for the puja at the flat is suspected to have set off the blaze.

The assistant fire officer said the flat belonged to Sharad Agarwal who, along with his wife, had left for dinner after performing Diwali puja. His elderly parents and domestic help were at home when the fire broke out. “It originated in the living room, where a diya lit for the puja is suspected to have set off the blaze,” the officer said. “When the intensity of the blaze was still low, the domestic worker helped the parents to safety using the lift.”

Ravindra Ambulgekar, chief fire officer, said that Dhanpat appeared to have tried using the lift instead of taking the staircase after smoke began spreading. He said, “He was rescued by firemen using the staircase and taken to Kokilaben Hospital. He was subsequently shifted to Cooper Hospital, where he was declared dead at 2 am. The firefighting system in the C wing was operational and we were able to control the fire.”

Gaurav Maini, a resident of C tower, also shared Dhanpat had been working in the building for nine years and was well liked by residents.