Mumbai: Fire, hot oil kill man at Kandivli sweet shop

A gas delivery boy died after a fire broke out at a sweet shop at Kandivli on Thursday. A vessel of hot oil had also fallen on the victim, Usman Shaikh, at the shop, worsening his condition.

A 25-year-old gas delivery boy died after a fire broke out at a sweet shop at Kandivli (West) on Thursday. A vessel of hot oil had also fallen on the victim, Usman Shaikh, at the shop, worsening his condition.

Shaikh had gone to the shop to the Mamta Sweet Mart on Poisar Gymkhana Road to attend to a complaint about a gas leakage. While he was eating sweets at the shop, the fire broke out. Shortly after, a vessel containing hot oil fell on him.

“Shaikh sustained severe burns from the fire, coupled with the oil. He was taken to Shatabdi hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival,” said Mahipati Pandharmise, senior inspector, Kandivli police station.

The fire brigade arrived at the spot and doused the fire around 4.30pm. The police are yet to find out what led to the fire and whether it was linked to the leak.

The shop owner, Khangaram Choudhary, 46, tried to help Shaikh and suffered minor burns on his leg. “Choudhari is recuperating in hospital. We have registered a case of negligence against him,” Pandharmise said.

Chouhdari was booked under section 304 (A) [causing death due to negligence], but no arrests have been made so far as he is still in hospital. The police have recorded statements of eye-witnesses and are awaiting the fire brigade’s report.