Mumbai: Meter box in Kurla building catches fire

Firefighters seen helping residents of Saki Society

Many residents, including women and newborn babies were stranded due to a fire in the meter box on the ground floor of a building in Sakinaka. The fire broke out on Saturday morning and was doused after two hours. All the residents were rescued safely. A total of 33 persons including 11 women, six children and 16 men were rescued by locals and Mumbai Fire Brigade.

The fire started in a meter box at the entrance of six-storey Saki Society in D'souza compound, 90 feet road in Kurla at 8.45 am. The fire brigade sent four to six vehicles to the spot. The vehicles faced issues as rickshaw and four wheelers were parked on both sides of the road outside the society. "The fire was confined to electric wiring, electric installation, electric panel boards etc in the electric meter cabin on the ground floor and first floor. People were stranded in the building due to the fire on the ground and first floor," said an official from the Mumbai Fire Brigade.

Abdul Haq who lives on the first floor said, "I was at home and suddenly heard what sounded like crackers bursting. We ran to the door and realised that the meter box at the entrance was burning." The fire spread to the first floor as well. "The residents of a neighbouring building came to rescue us. We broke the grills of the window and started going out one by one with the help of a ladder. Meanwhile, the fire brigade arrived and they also helped us," he said.

Munna Farhan, who lives on the fifth floor, said, "I was having breakfast when the lights suddenly went out. Within the next 10 to 15 minutes our home was filled up with dense smoke." "But we didn't get down the stairs as the meter box was at the entrance and no one could walk out of the building. After some time the fire brigade came and they rescued people from the window of the first and second floor," Farhan added.

As per information given by MFB officials, 33 persons, including four women and three men from the first floor; five women, seven men, two girls and two newborn children from the second floor; two women, six men and two boys from third and fourth floor were rescued safely with the help of a ladder.