Massive blaze engulfs Oshiwara’s Heera Panna Mall 7 hurt, 20 rescued
Massive blaze engulfs Oshiwara’s Heera Panna Mall
7 hurt, 20 rescued
A massive blaze engulfed the Heera Panna Mall near Oshiwara police station in Jogeshwari West
Seven people, including a senior citizen owner of a unit in the mall, and three fire bridage personnel, suffered suffocation injuries in the incident which was declared as a level 3 fire.
They were rushed to hospitals and discharged after treatment.
Reportedly, with the help of Oshiwara Police, the fire brigade managed to rescue 20 people present in the mall.
Fire Brigade official reveals that the fire originated from the electric duct and spread to the AC units of the ground-plus-three-storeyed mall.
A fire brigade official stated that the mall management and staffers initially tried to extinguish the fire with the help of in-house fire fighting system.
But, following their failure to extinguish it, they informed the fire brigade.
Nine people, stuck in a gym on the third floor were rescued after breaking the glass facade. Similarly, five people stranded on the third floor were removed from the terrace after firemen cut through the monsoon shed. Two persons stranded due to smoke on the second floor were also rescued using the Angus ladder externally.
According to Rajiv Ramnani, owner of an e-commerce unit on the ground floor, they initially didn’t realise that fire had broken out. But within just 20 to 30 minutes, smoke had engulfed all four floors. They ran out of the premises using the exit opening to the road adjoining the mall.
Senior fire brigade officials, including chief fire officer Ravindra Ambulgekar and ADFO Somnath Jaybhaye, supervised the operation. The fire fighting system of the mall functioned initially but later lost pressure.
The Chief Fire Officer Ambulgekar stated that they will carry out an inspection and serve a notice if there is any lacuna. The management of the mall claimed it had recently overhauled its firefighting system and installed new electrical wiring, which helped initial responders fight the blaze and contain damage.
The fire occurred shortly after 2.30pm, which is fortuitous as many shop owners and employees were away offering Friday namaz. Shoppers and clients were also sparse in number.
Police said even as shop staffers were rushing out of the main entrance to escape the blaze, local hoodlums arrived to loot stuff from the mall under the pretence of rescuing stranded persons.
News Edit K.V.Raman
