3 killed in Mumbai highrise fire, 3rd blaze in complex in 15 months

MUMBAI: Three lives were lost Wednesday morning in the third fire in the posh Lokhandwala complex , Andheri (West), in 15 months, report Richa Pinto and Bella Jaisinghani. As recently as Sept 19, a huge inferno had engulfed Sterling Bungalow number 11 while on July 26, 2023, a significant fire had broken out in Nebula Apartments, close to the site of Wednesday's blaze in the fourth lane.

Marine engineer Chander Prakash Soni, 73, who was sightless, his wife Kanta, 65, and their domestic help Ravi Bhatia, 43, died after a fire broke out in Riya Palace building in Cross Lane number 4 shortly before 8am Wednesday. The mishap occurred in the Sonis' flat on the 10th floor of the 14-storey building. Fire engines and ambulances were rushed to the site.

Sources in Mumbai fire brigade said they received a call for help at 7.46am. P D Sandikar, divisional fire officer said the cause is under investigation and would be ascertained once the investigation was completed. Riya Palace's secretary Krishan Arora and chairman Dr Raju Sahetya assisted the police by playing the CCTV footage in the society office.

Residents claimed Kanta's body was "charred waist down". Dr Sahetya tried to administer CPR to the couple but found no pulse. He said, " The house help's nostrils were choked with soot." The three were rushed to Cooper Hospital. Later, their remains were moved to the mortuary.