13 Occupants Rescued from Fire in Cherai

Anushka Dabke

Naupada

A fire broke out in Guruprerna society, located in the Cherai area in Naupada, on

February 16th. With about 13 occupants rescued and no casualties reported, the victims

were rushed to a nearby first aid center. The fire was reportedly caused due to a meter

box explosion near the building entrance, engulfing multiple floors over a span of an

hour.

Sources claimed that the incident was reported at 7:30 am in the morning by a

newspaper delivery man, who saw the box burning. Residents, upon noticing the flames

making their way to the upper floors, evacuated to the terrace in an attempt to escape.

Meanwhile, rescue teams were alerted and dispatched to the location. The

operatives managed to rescue all 13 occupants and doused the fire within two hours of

the report being made. Three fire engines, along with water tankers and an ambulance

were deployed to the scene. Personnel entered the building and put out the fire

internally. While no one was gravely injured, minor injuries were treated soon after.

Avinash Sawant, chief at the regional disaster management cell Thane, said,

“Our teams reached the spot and accessed the structure from the terrace and managed

to bring the fire under control.”

One of the rescued occupants, who wishes to stay anonymous, stated that the

ambulance treated them for some minor burns and threat of asphyxiation. The rescue

consisted of four senior citizens, five women and a toddler. It was also revealed that

while there was no loss of life, a book godown in the same building suffered serious

damage.

While the incident did not have drastic consequences, the possibility of loss of life

could have been critical. The damage done to the property was evaluated and is

currently in reconstruction.