Fire breaks out at forest area near Mumbra Devi Temple in Thane, no injuries reported

As the blaze occurred at a higher elevation on the hill, firefighters were unable to douse it with water. PIC VIA TMC

A fire broke out in a forested hill area behind Mumbra Devi Temple along the Mumbra Bypass in Thane on Monday evening, the Thane Municipal Corporation's Disaster Management Control Room said.

According to officials, the alert was received at around 7.43 pm from the Mumbra Fire Station. Fire brigade teams rushed to the spot with one fire engine and a rescue vehicle. No injuries were reported in the incident.

As the blaze occurred at a higher elevation on the hill, firefighters were unable to douse it with water. The Forest Department has been informed for further necessary action.

One dead in 13th-floor fire at residential building in Mumbai's Vile Parle area

A fire broke out on the 13th floor of Suvidha Pearl building in Vile Parle East at 9.51 am on Monday, killing a 63-year-old woman and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as Bhavna Bharat Satra, 63. The injured include Aneree Jitendra Satra, 34, and Mohammad Rashid, 22.

A security guard of the building, who spoke to mid-day on condition of anonymity, said they heard a loud sound before glass from the 13th floor shattered and fell near the lobby. "We panicked and immediately alerted the fire brigade. Thankfully, the fire did not spread," he said.

The blaze reportedly started in flat No. 1301, owned by the builder of the apartment, where family members had gathered ahead of a wedding scheduled for Tuesday. Deepak Shinde, a family friend, told this newspaper that several relatives had arrived from different cities and were out when the incident occurred. "When we rushed back, we found that two family members had been injured," he said.

All three victims were rescued and taken to Nanavati Hospital, where Bhavna Satra was declared dead on arrival. The other two are undergoing treatment. Amol Shashikant Khanolkar, assistant station officer, said three people were rescued from the flat. "We found both women in the passage outside the flat. To rescue the man, we had to break open doors. He suffered minor injuries. One woman was declared dead at the hospital, while the other is being treated. The cause of the fire is under investigation," he said.