12 May,2015 07:01 AM IST | | Sachin Unhalekar
Chanchalben Doshi, resident of building opposite Gokul Niwas, got trapped in her first-floor house after mounds of debris from the burnt building blocked the entrance of her building
Chanchalben Doshi with her daughter Champaben Pathak
A 94-year-old woman, despite not being a resident of Gokul Niwas, was affected in a big way by the terrible fire that destroyed it on Saturday. Chanchalben Doshi, a resident of 109-A building opposite Gokul Niwas, got trapped in her first-floor house after mounds of debris from the burnt building blocked the entrance of her building. She spent most of Sunday, Mother's Day, alone in darkness hoping to see her daughter, and only after the debris was removed on Monday evening did her ordeal come to an end. Her daughter, Champaben Pathak, was then able to meet her, much to her happiness.
Chanchalben Doshi with her daughter Champaben Pathak after the debris (above right) was cleared. Doshi said she kept thinking of her daughter
Doshi said, "I was in my room in complete darkness for two days, just wishing that my daughter meets me soon. Finally, I was able to meet her today (Monday)".
Trapped
When the fire broke out in Gokul Niwas, Doshi's maid Sangeeta Thakur helped her get out of her building, which has four other families living only on the fourth floor, all of whom were reportedly out of town. The rest of the building consists of shops, whose employees pulled down their shutters as the fire in the opposite building grew bigger.
Maid took her back in Thakur said, "When the fire broke out in the neighbouring building, I brought her down safely out of her home. But when the fire seemed to get under control that evening I took her back to her flat. I prepared dinner for her and then left".
Thakur added, "When I came back the next morning, I was shocked to see that Gokul Niwas had collapsed and that the debris had blocked the building's entrance. I had got food for her and requested the policemen and firemen to somehow help me in. They were surprised to hear that there was somebody in the building".
It was only by Sunday afternoon that the police managed to help Thakur into the building. "A policeman held my hand and literally pulled me in the space around the huge pile of debris and we squeezed through a small gap that was left," she said.
She said the policeman was shocked to see the old lady sitting in her flat in the dark. After serving her food, he and Thakur again managed to get out. They couldn't, however, get Doshi out the same way because of her old age. "I come here every morning and give her a bath and bring her lunch. I leave in the afternoon and return in the evenings to serve her dinner. This is my daily duty", said Thakur.
Pathak claims that her mother doesn't want to move in with her. "I live in Dahisar but my mother wants to stay in this old house only."
Thakur informed Pathak about the incident only on Monday morning, which is when the latter rushed to the place. It was at 5.30 pm on Monday that the debris in front of the building was cleared and Pathak was finally able to reach her mother.
"I brought with me an emergency lamp since I was aware that there was no power", added Pathak. The 94-year-old was beaming after meeting her daughter.
