Kandivli blaze: One victim had turned 90 a day before she died in fire

Officials take the details from the residents of Hansa Heritage on Sunday

A fire killed two women and injured five residents at a high-rise in Kandivli West on Saturday, with authorities saying that the fairly new building's firefighting apparatus was not working. This is the second fire claiming lives at a tower in a fortnight. On October 22, a security guard had plunged to death after a fire broke out on the 19th floor of 61-storey One Avighna Park at Currey Road.

In the latest incident, tragedy struck Deepak Parekh family at Hansa Heritage on Mathuradas Road, at walking distance from Kandivali railway station. Ranjanben Parekh, 90, and Nita Parekh, 64, lost their lives. Ranjanben's birthday was on November 5.

The fire swept through flat numbers 1401 and 1501 at Hansa Heritage in Malad West. Pics/Satej Shinde

"The building is 4 to 5 years old. The fire started at flat number 1401 on the 14th floor and by the time the fire brigade arrived, it had spread to 1501 above it," said a building resident. He said the rest of the residents escaped through to the stairs. The secretary of the building refused to talk. The ground and first two floors of the 15- storey building has commercial establishments, while there are two residential apartments on each of the other floors.

Chief Fire Officer Hemant Parab said a notice will be served to the society. A fire official said, "The firefighting system wasn't working. Even the society hasn't done regular fire audits that have to be done every six months under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act-2006."

There were four members in Parekh's 2-BHK home. His mother Ranjanben, wife Nita and his 31-year-old daughter. The other three injured persons had come there for a visit. There was another member who pushed the main door and managed to run out.

Wind fanned the fire, destroying the hall, kitchen and one bedroom of 1401. Ranjanben and Nita were in the hall, while the other five members rushed to a bedroom and were rescued by firefighters.

Citing preliminary analysis, sources said, the curtains first caught fire due to a lantern.

Priyanka More, the corporator from an adjacent ward visited the site. "The investigation is on and right now we don't know the exact reason for the fire. The kitchen and hall are fully gutted. Both ladies couldn't move and got trapped inside," said Sankalp Karade, divisional fire officer for zone VI of fire brigade.