A horrific fire in the early hours of Saturday snuffed out the lives of three members of a family in Mumbai's Goregaon West area. The blaze, which erupted in a residential structure at Bhagatsingh Nagar, claimed a 19-year-old woman, a 12-year-old boy, and a 48-year-old man.
Fire Erupts During Deep Sleep
The Mumbai Fire Brigade received the distress call at around 3:06 am. The fire had broken out in a ground-plus-one-storey house where all occupants were fast asleep. Officials stated that the flames quickly spread through electric wiring and household articles on the ground floor, and then to clothing stored on the first floor.
Alert neighbours rushed to the scene upon hearing commotion and made valiant attempts to control the fire using buckets of water before professional help could arrive. "The family was asleep when the fire broke out. By the time people realised how serious it was, the house was already engulfed in smoke," recounted a shaken neighbour.
Rescue Efforts and Fatal Outcome
Firefighters arrived promptly and began operations by cutting off the electric supply to the building. They managed to completely extinguish the blaze by 3:16 am. During the rescue, personnel pulled out three individuals who were trapped inside the burning home.
The victims were immediately transported to the Trauma Care Hospital in Goregaon using a police van and a private vehicle. Tragically, despite all efforts, doctors at the hospital declared all three brought dead. The deceased have been identified as Harshada Pawaskar (19), Kushal Pawaskar (12), and Sanjog Pawaskar (48). Officials confirmed that all three had sustained severe burn injuries.
Preliminary Cause Points to Electrical Fault
While the exact cause of the fire is still under official investigation, preliminary details indicate a likely origin from electrical wiring connected to a refrigerator in the house. An eyewitness account provided a chilling sequence of events, suggesting the refrigerator suddenly burst into flames.
The witness further described that when the father of the family, Sanjog Pawaskar, tried to escape via an iron staircase, it suffered an electrical short circuit, causing him to collapse. This tragic incident has once again highlighted the critical importance of electrical safety and functional fire escape plans in residential buildings, especially during the night when occupants are most vulnerable.
