Nalasopara fire
Nalasopara: Two women died and six people were injured after a major fire broke out in the 14-storey Imperial Heritage residential building in Achole, Nalasopara East, on Tuesday night. The deceased were identified as Falguni Shah (58) and Ashwini Parkar (55), both residents of the 12th floor. The blaze raged for nearly six hours before being completely extinguished around 6 am on Wednesday.
More than 25 residents trapped on the upper floors were rescued by the fire brigade with the help of cranes and by breaking open doors that had become difficult to open due to the heat.
They died of suffocation caused by smoke inhalation, said Achole police station senior inspector SujitKumar Pawar. Police suspect that a short circuit, possibly linked to an electricity connection taken for a Navratri celebration organised within the building premises, might have triggered the fire. Three of the six people injured in the incident required hospital treatment; the other three sustained minor injuries. It soon intensified and spread to other floors, forcing residents to rush downstairs. However, those living between the ninth and 14th floors were trapped as smoke and flames spread through the building. Police are investigating the cause of the fire, including the possibility of a short circuit linked to the temporary electricity connection used for the Navratri celebration.