Mumbai building fire: 7 dead, several injured as massive fire engulfs five-story building, PM declares Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia

Mumbai, October 06: Tragedy struck in Mumbai as a massive fire engulfed a ground plus five-story building in Goregaon West, leading to seven tragic deaths and injuring approximately 40 individuals. The incident unfolded at around 3:05 am on a fateful Friday morning.

Out of the 40 individuals injured in the inferno, 25 were swiftly transported to the HBT Trauma Care Hospital, while the remaining 15 received medical attention at Cooper Hospital, as emergency responders worked tirelessly to manage the crisis.

The fire originated at the Jay Bhavani building, strategically situated on MG road in Goregaon. The blaze swiftly engulfed the ground floor, fueled by shops, scrap materials, and parked vehicles. The intensity of the situation left people stranded on various floors, including the perilous terrace.

Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar revealed that the ill-fated building, constructed in 2006 under the Slum Rehabilitation scheme, tragically lacked any firefighting system. Moreover, the outdated lift system contributed to the calamity, as it became a conduit for a significant volume of toxic smoke to spread throughout the building.

After hours of relentless efforts, the valiant firefighters managed to extinguish the devastating fire, bringing some respite to this harrowing situation. However, the aftermath of the incident left a city in mourning and a community grappling with the immense loss of life and property.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the tragic fire incident in Goregaon, Mumbai, announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Seven lives were lost, and over 50 individuals were injured in the blaze at Jay Bhavani building early this morning.

Goregaon Fire | Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakhs from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/C4k85UAx7V — ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2023

Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the Mumbai's Goregaon fire mishap, PM Modi extended condolences to the affected families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. He assured that authorities were providing all necessary assistance. The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the families of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed his condolences and declared that the state government would offer financial aid of Rs 5 lakhs to the families of the victims. He emphasized that the injured would receive government-sponsored medical treatment.

गोरेगावच्या उन्नत नगर येथील एसआरएच्या जय भवानी इमारतीला भीषण आग लागून झालेल्या दुर्घटनेत काही नागरिकांना आपला जीव गमवावा लागला आहे. यात काही लहान मुलांचाही समावेश आहे. ही घटना अत्यंत दुर्दैवी असून त्यात जीव गमवावा लागलेल्या नागरिकांप्रती मी माझी सहवेदना व्यक्त करतो.

या आगीच्या… — Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) October 6, 2023

#WATCH | Goregaon (Mumbai) Fire | BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal says, "As per the information with us, the fire broke put at 3.01 am last night. Fire tenders reached there by 3.10 am. The fire had first spread on the two floors of the building. None of the deceased died due… pic.twitter.com/ydWCXv5BDG — ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2023

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis conveyed his sorrow regarding the tragic incident, stating that he was coordinating with BMC and Mumbai Police officials to provide support. Fadnavis extended his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a swift recovery to the injured.

- With inputs from agencies