Mother, daughter injured in Malwani building fire

Mumbai: A major fire broke out in a residential building at Malwani, Malad on Thursday morning. The fire left two injured, a six-year-old girl and her mother. The cause of the blaze is unknown. The fire broke out in the sixth floor of a Mhada (Maharashtra Housing and Area development Authority) building.  

The mother, Nilofer Shaikh (32) suffered 60 per cent burns, while the minor received 40 per cent burns. According to a hospital source, the condition of the duo is critical and both have been shifted to Masina hospital in Byculla. Shaikh and her daughter Ikra were first rushed to Care hospital.

The blaze erupted at around 6.44 am and was brought in control by the neighbours in 30 minutes before the arrival of the fire brigade. A gas leak in the kitchen is suspected to be the reason behind the fire. “It was a level 1 fire call and the fire was confined to the LPG cylinder, clothes, curtains, furniture etc,” said a fire official. “When we reached the spot, the public had already doused the fire using buckets of water. We disconnected the electricity supply of the building later,” he added.

This is the fifth major fire incident this year after Thursday’s fire which gutted a cloth mill in Goregaon. On January 4, a major fire in a residential building in Andheri claimed the lives of three from a family. A week later, the ceremonial lounge of the domestic airport was completely gutted by fire.

Following this incident, the iconic Navrang Studios in the Todi Mills compound, Lower Parel was completely charred in a major blaze.

 Initially, the neighbours rushed the mother-daughter duo to the privately-run Care hospital in Malad. According to Dr Azar Ali from the hospital, “Both the patients were not in a good condition. The six-year-old girl, who was kept under observation, was somewhat better. However, since we do not have a burn unit, they were later shifted to Masina hospital for further treatment as both were in a critical condition.”  

Dr Dhaval Gandhi, the burn’s unit expert at Masina hospital, who is treating the mother and daughter said, “Prima facie, both have sustained severe second degree burn injuries but initial wound treatment and dressing would offer a clearer picture about their condition.” He added, “Nilofer has suffered over 60 per cent burns whereas Iqra has suffered 40-45 per cent burn injuries. Both are critical and currently under treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital.”