Like every morning, 51-year-old Shivani Gandhi opened her catering shop in Kandivli East on Wednesday. But within hours, the day turned into the biggest tragedy of her life when a leaking gas cylinder triggered a massive fire between 8-8.30 am. “I am not in city. I was shocked when I was informed about the incident. I am on my way back on the earliest available flight. I am not in a condition right now to say anything,” said her husband, Mitul Gandhi, breaking down over the phone.
The fire broke out at a catering shop in Ramkishan Mistry Chawl, Kandivli East. Pics/Satej Shinde
The blaze left several workers severely injured. While some victims were rushed to ESIC Hospital in Kandivli, opposite the accident site, others were taken to Shatabdi Hospital. “When we reached the spot, Raksha Joshi, 47, Durga Gupta, 30, and Putani Gautam alias Poonam, 28, were already shifted to Shatabdi. We shifted Gandhi, Nitu Gupta, 31, Janaki Gupta, 39, and Manaram Kumakat, 55, to ESIC Kandivli, from where they were later moved to National Burns Hospital in Airoli,” said PD Sandhikar, divisional head, Mumbai Fire Brigade.
Two two-wheelers parked outside the shop were gutted in the fire
Doctors confirmed the extent of the injuries: Gandhi sustained 95 per cent burns, Nitu and Janaki suffered 80 per cent and 85 per cent burns, while Kumakat had 40 per cent burns but remains critical. “We did first aid and stabilised them, but due to the seriousness of their burns, they had to be shifted to the specialised burns hospital,” said Dr Shantanu Shukla, CMO at ESIC.
At National Burns Hospital, medical director Dr Sunil Keswani said, “Gandhi and both the Guptas inhaled large amounts of smoke. Since they could not breathe on their own, they were put on ventilators. Their vital signs are steady, but survival chances remain grim. Kumakat’s injuries were more superficial, so we operated immediately, and he is under ICU observation for the next 48 hours. We may operate on Nitu on Thursday if her condition stabilises.” Meanwhile, Putani and Durga, who sustained 90 per cent burns, were shifted to Kasturba Hospital by their families after doctors advised transferring them due to lack of supplies and the high cost of treatment at the private facility.
Rescuer
Relatives of the victims wait outside hospital. Pics/Ritika Gondhalekar
Jayprakash Mistry, a local resident, told mid-day, “I was at home when I noticed the smell of gas. I checked inside my house and then went outside, where I saw the fire had broken out in Shivani’s shop. I took a fire extinguisher and tried to put it out. While doing so, I sustained minor burns on my leg. Two parked bikes outside the shop also caught fire. We immediately informed the fire brigade, who rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze.”
‘Luck was with them’
Kavita, a co-worker, outside the private hospital
Kavita M, another worker at the shop, narrowly escaped the tragedy. “I was late today because of some work at home. If I had reached 15 minutes earlier, I would have been in the hospital too. I just pray they survive,” she said. Kumar, who regularly delivers vegetables to the shop, recalled his close brush with disaster. “Sometimes I help them arrange supplies inside the shop. Luckily, I didn’t enter today. Everything happened before my eyes. I will never forget it.”
How fire started
Ravindra Ambulgekar, chief fire officer, said, “The gas was leaking, and one of the staff members noticed it. He placed the leaking cylinder into a water drum while only a few staff were present in the shop. The gas remained trapped inside the water. Later, the staff locked the shutter and returned with other colleagues.”
(From left) Shivani Gandhi suffered 95 per cent burns, Jayprakash Mistry, who tried to douse blaze and alerted officials and Manoj Kumar, husband of victim Putani, outside the hospital. Pic/Special Arrangement
“When they came back and opened the shop shutter, the smell of gas was very strong. They checked the cylinder, and one of the staff switched on the light. Suddenly, the fire spread through the wiring due to the gas leakage. All the staff tried to rush outside, but they were trapped inside the blaze,” he explained.
The seven people who are injured
Shivani Gandhi, 53 around 95 per cent burns
Nitu Gupta, 31 around 80 per cent burns
Raksha Joshi, 47 85–90 per cent burns
Janaki Gupta, 39 85 per cent burns
Manaram Kumavat, 55 40 per cent burns
Durgavati Gupta, 25 90 per cent burns
Poonam Gupta, 30 90 per cent burns
