NAVI MUMBAI: A devastating fire erupted in the early hours of Monday, shortly after midnight, at a 12-story luxury apartment complex in Vashi, resulting in the deaths of four people and sending ten others to the hospital. The fire broke out in Raheja Residency, a high-rise in M G Complex, Sector 14, Vashi, amid Diwali celebrations.
The victims have been identified as 84-year-old Kamala Jain, who was bedridden in her 10th-floor apartment, and three members of the Balakrishnan family—Sundar (44), his wife Pooja Rajan (39), and their daughter Vedika (6)—who lived on the 12th floor.
According to police, the fire began on the 10th floor, but the exact cause remains unclear. Senior Inspector Shashikant Chandekar of Vashi police stated, “The cause will only be confirmed once we receive a report from the electrical safety department.”
The fire quickly spread through the upper floors, trapping residents. While many on the lower floors had evacuated before the fire department’s arrival, ten residents from the top three floors were rescued. They were taken to the building’s terrace and then evacuated via a neighboring wing. These individuals were hospitalized for suffocation. Thankfully, no further fatalities were reported among them.
Sanjay Ubale, a part-time society manager at Raheja Residency, shared more details, saying, “Kamala Jain lived with her son Mahavir (51), daughter-in-law Bhawana (49), and grandson Krish (21) on the 10th floor. When the fire broke out, the family tried to escape, but Kamala Jain, being bedridden, could not make it to safety in time.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, with some speculating that it could have been caused by Diwali lamps or a short-circuit in the air conditioning unit. “It is still too early to determine the exact cause,” said Purushottam Jadhav, the divisional fire officer at Vashi.
The fire broke out at 12:40 am, and fire engines from Vashi, Nerul, Koparkhairane, and Airoli rushed to the scene. Firefighters successfully contained the blaze, with the building’s fire hydrant system playing a crucial role in combating the flames, as per Ubale.
While the fire was tragic, the building’s fire safety systems helped mitigate the disaster. “The fire hydrants were functional, and the fire brigade used them effectively,” Ubale added.
Meanwhile, another fire broke out in Turbhe later that evening around 9 pm after firecrackers ignited plastic decoration flowers on a two-story building terrace. Fire officer Sushil Gharat from the RCF fire station reported that the fire was quickly extinguished within 10 minutes, and fortunately, no one was injured.
