An explosion at an aluminum moulding factory at Saki Naka led to a wall collapse in hutments next to the industrial unit that crushed a family of five and injured one
Five members of a family lost their lives after a wall collapsed on their hutment due to a highimpact blast in the neighbouring aluminum- moulding factory in KK Compound at Saki Naka, Andheri ( East), around 1.30 am on Friday. The deceased were identified as Sukha Makhan Patel ( 60), his son Ganesh Sukha Patel ( 25), daughter Bharti Suresh Rathod ( 35), and her teenage daughters Manisha Rathod ( 15) and Neha Rathod ( 14). All of them were crushed under the wall and succumbed to head injuries. The elder son Mangesh Patel ( 30), who was living in the hutment with his wife and 2- month- old son, escaped with minor injuries on the arms and head as he was sleeping away from the region where the wall collapsed. Earlier, Mangesh had sent his wife and child to his inlaws’ place in Kurla for a few days.
Sifting through the debris: Fire officials survey the site where the wall collapsed causing five deaths and injuries to another. (Below) Sona Patel grieves the loss of her father. Pics/ Dutta Kumbhar
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The doctors at Rajawadi Hospital said, “ The five deceased suffered from severe head, liver and spine injuries and preliminary autopsy reports show that the deaths were mainly due to hemorrhage shock.” According to an official from Marol fire station, the explosion took place due to a pressure burst in the aluminum pressurecasting machine. Eleven fire engines, an anti- terror squad, police vans and ambulances rushed to the spot. However, The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ( BMC) officials were able to clear the debris only by afternoon.
Two factory workers — Amit Harijan ( 33) and Bhimchand Bind ( 28) — were on night duty when the explosion took place and have suffered from 95 per cent to 98 per cent burns.
“ They are in a very critical condition and have been put on oxygen support,” said a doctor at Rajawadi Hospital.
“ My brother Bhimchand was on night shift at the factory and on Friday he did not return till 10 am and was not receiving our calls either. We were later told by locals that he was admitted to the hospital with severe burn injuries,” said his elder brother Subhash, a rickshaw driver.
Factory owner Hiren Pravin Dhodia could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
— With inputs from Naveen Nair
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