Three charred in fire at Santa Cruz, Mumbai

Thee workers were killed and two firemen were injured early on Thursday in a blaze at a garment factory in Khotwadi chawl, Santa Cruz (West).

The fire broke out around 3.45 am on the first floor of the garment factory, which later spread on the second floor. While the first floor is charred, the remains of the second floor have collapsed.

According to fire personnel, it took them more than four hours to douse the fire.

Uday Tatkare, chief fire officer, said the three workers were karigars from Kutch and sole breadwinners of their families. “The three were declared dead before admission in Cooper Hospital. We still don’t know what caused the fire. We will investigate and submit a report in two days,” said Tatkare.

According to local residents, the factory caught fire due to a short circuit.

Rina Rathod, a resident of the locality, said: “The karigars did the job of cutting the garments and sewing buttons.”

People who live near the factory said the fire was fierce and they could feel the fury of the flames. The two firemen, who got injured, were forced to jump from the roof of the building as the fire became uncontrollable.

Saroj Chudasama, who lived next to the garment factory, said: “My daughter had her TYBCom economics paper on Thursday. She has fared badly in her exam because she could not concentrate due to the chaos caused by the fire. She just called me from her centre and was crying.”