Mumbai: 5 dead in Tilak Nagar fire

Mumbai: Five persons were killed in a blaze that broke out on the 10th floor of a 16-storey building in Chembur around 7.50 pm Thursday while two persons were injured, as per the information available at the time of going to press.

According to the civic body’s control room, the blaze took place in building no. 35 of Sargam Society’s B Wing in Tilak Nagar.

The deceased have been identified as building residents Sunita Joshi (72), Bhalchandra Joshi (72), Suman Shrinivas Joshi (83), Sarala Suresh Gangar (52) and Lakshm-iben Premji Gangar (83) while Shrinivas Joshi (86) and fireman Chagan Singh (28) were injured and admitted to Rajawadi Hospital.

The primary reason behind the deaths has been declared as suffocation.

A BMC official said that the fire broke out due to a suspected gas cylinder blast in a flat on the tenth floor. The BMC control room had received an alert at around 7.51 pm.

Eight fire engines were at the spot to douse the flames at the time of going to press. The actual cause of the fire will be ascertained after a thorough inquiry is conducted.