Fire spread rapidly to several other rooms; doctors say that most of the injured people, admitted to KEM and Masina hospitals has suffered up to 80 per cent burns
The fire after the cylinder blast that happened at Sarabhai building in Lalbaugu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s Ganesh Galli spread to three rooms and common passage too. Pic/Ashish Raje
A cylinder blast and subsequent fire at the 100-year-old Sarabhai building in Lalbaug’s Ganesh Galli early on Sunday killed one person, and left 15 people injured, of whom nine are in a critical condition. A number of people, who were here to attend the owner’s daughter’s wedding, were staying in the room when the incident happened.
The fire spread to three adjacent rooms and even a wall collapsed. While MHADA officials have started repair work at the building, residents said they might file a police complaint against the owner as he was using the premises for his catering business for the past 10 years and had stored cylinders for commercial use.
Gas leakage
Residents of the building, which is a four-storey structure with 10 houses on each floor, said that they could smell the gas from 7 am on Sunday. "One of us went to room number 17 and told them that there was some gas leakage. This was 20 minutes before the blast happened. If action had been taken immediately, the incident could have been avoided," said Kiran Khatu, who resides on the third floor.
"I got to know that those who were living in the house had gathered in the kitchen to resolve the issue when the blast happened," said Anil Kokil, local corporator. "The fire which started in room number 17, spread to 17A, 16, 15 and the common passage. The front wall and window of room number 17, the common wall between 17 and 16 and the window of 17A collapsed. Residents evacuated seven to eight people before we arrived," said a fire brigade official. Sixteen people had suffered injuries, of whom 12 were admitted to KEM hospital and four to Masina hospital. Later one patient at KEM died. Six people undergoing treatment are said to be stable.
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Burn injuries
Dean of KEM hospital, Dr Hemant Deshmukh said, "Initially 12 people were brought to the hospital. All of them have suffered 50 to 80 per cent burns except two patients. One of them has suffered from blunt trauma to the chest."
As per information from the chief medical officer of Masina hospital, the four people admitted there have suffered 70 to 90 per cent burns. Mayor Kishori Pednekar visited the spot and KEM hospital to meet the relatives of the injured. Speaking to the media, she said that accommodation for the affected families had been arranged at a nearby hotel.
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