Mumbai: Gas leak likely to blame for Andheri fire, states Fire brigade

The fire gutted two flats on the 10th and 11th floors of Andheri's Kadam Chawl

The fire brigade on Wednesday said, prima facie the Andheri's Kadam Chawl fire appears to have been caused by a gas leak. Residents of the 21-storey building said the fire brigade could not reach the building soon as the approach road is too narrow. The fire that was reported late Tuesday in the SRA building on Veera Desai road, killed Vicky Sharma, 25, and Sagar Sharma, 7, while Lalkrishna Sharma suffered 30 percent burns.

Fire officials said the fire first broke out in one flat on the tenth floor and spread to the 11th before it could be contained. Sanjay Pawaskar, a resident of the building, said, "We vacated the building even before the fire brigade arrived and helped others too but unfortunately could not do much to help the ones trapped. We are asking the developer to provide us with a proper approach road now." K West ward committee chairman Yogiraj Dabhadkar, who was present at the spot, said he would speak to civic body officials and get the issue resolved.

Chief Fire Officer PS Rahangdale said, "As the building's fire system was in working condition, we are not issuing them any notice, as also the cause of fire is still under investigation. Prima facie it seems like a gas leakage was responsible for the fire." Activists from the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens' Association (LOCA) said that had there been a fire station in Andheri West's Chitrakoot Grounds, according to the Development Plan 1991 reservations, the fire tenders could have reached the spot earlier.

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