After two-storey chawl crashes in Bandra East on Friday morning, home owner first thinks it was AC, while neighbours said gas cylinder; the blast sparked panic and speculation among residents
(From left) Debris of the collapsed ground-plus-two-storey chawl in Bharat Nagar, Bandra East; locals and emergency officials help the injured moments after the blast in Bharat Nagar, Bandra East. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
A loud blast jolted Bharat Nagar in Bandra East early Friday morning, leaving 15 injured and a ground-plus-two-storey chawl reduced to rubble. The blast sparked panic and speculation among residents, some blaming a faulty air conditioner, others pointing to a leaking gas cylinder. As chaos unfolded and neighbours rushed to rescue the trapped, the cause remained murky until Mumbai Fire Brigade officials confirmed an LPG gas leak triggered the collapse.
Competing theories
Abbas Mohammad Irfan Shaikh, the chawl’s owner, dismissed the gas cylinder theory. “I live on the ground floor with my family, and we were all at home when it happened. Right after the blast, I noticed our air conditioner was affected first. That’s why I believe the compressor exploded,” he told mid-day. Shaikh and his family were rescued by neighbours and escaped without injuries.
Residents and rescue teams assist victims injured in the early morning explosion
Meanwhile, Sayyed Ashraf, a resident of a neighbouring chawl, had a different account. “I was at work when my wife called, saying she heard a loud explosion like a gas cylinder blast. I rushed back and reached in 10 minutes, normally it takes me 20. By the time I arrived, people from the nearby mosque were helping evacuate residents from the ground floor.”
Locals described the blast around 5.40 am as deafening, with glass windows shattering from the shockwave. Those attending early morning namaz at the nearby mosque rushed out and began helping people trapped on the ground floor. Some claimed the structure remained standing for 10–15 minutes after the blast; others believed it collapsed immediately.
Mumbai Fire Brigade officials inspect the site following the LPG gas leak and blast in Bandra East
Fareen Sayyed, a close friend of 42-year-old resident Shabana Sayyed, said, “I live just a lane away. When I heard there was a blast at Shabana’s chawl, I ran over and have been here all day trying to assist rescue workers.” Fareen was among those who believed the explosion was due to a gas cylinder, citing the severe burns some victims sustained.
Another neighbour, requesting anonymity, said, “For a long time we feared someone was still trapped under the debris. Thankfully, everyone was rescued and rushed to hospitals. It’s been a traumatic day watching our friends, who are like family, suffer like this.”
Rubble from the illegal upper floors of the chawl that collapsed. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Official clarification
However, by Friday evening, MFB officials confirmed that the air conditioner was not the cause of the blast. Their preliminary investigation attributed the explosion to an LPG gas leak, which led to the collapse.
“The incident occurred due to a leak from a household LPG cylinder. The accumulated gas exploded, not the cylinder itself,” said Chief Fire Officer Ravindra N Ambulgekar. “The impact of the gas blast led to the structural collapse.”
He added, “If the AC compressor had exploded, it would not have caused burn injuries, which we’ve observed in two victims. Nor would it have led to the collapse of the building.”
Eight neighbouring structures, four on each side, were vacated by the fire brigade as a precaution. However, no transit accommodations were provided, as the upper floors of the chawl were constructed illegally. According to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), only ground-floor construction was permitted on the premises.
15
No. of people injured in the blast
5.40 am
Time of blast
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