19 December,2016 01:05 PM IST | | Aparna Shukla
A massive fire in Dharavi's Premnagar slum that engulfed 150 shanties and godowns started with a short circuit in the meter room around 3.30 am. No one was injured, but there was a significant loss of possessions
The fire brigade responded to the call that only came well over an hour after the fire had already spread and engulfed the slums that houses residences and godowns, mostly of cloth traders
A massive fire in Dharavi's Premnagar slum that engulfed 150 shanties and godowns started with a short circuit in the meter room around 3.30 am. But it was only over an hour later - at 4.50 am - that the fire brigade received a call and rushed over with 8 fire engines, 10 water tankers and 1 ambulance.
While fortunately no one was injured, there was a significant loss of possessions and raw materials.
"We had the chindi business, wherein cloth is collected, torn and supplied to dealers. Everything is now gone, nothing apart from the clothes on my back survived," said Sabya Khatun, whose house was next to ground zero.
Premnagar houses more than 800 shanties and consists of individuals dealing in everything from recycling of glass to paper, and most importantly, cloth. So most of the structures that burnt down were godowns on the ground floor, and their houses of the first floor. And while there has been speculation that foul play was afoot to get rid of the slums there, authorities have denied the allegation. "We reached the spot within 30 minutes. The probable cause seems to be a short circuit in the meter room," said an official from the fire department.
