Three members of a family died after a ground-plus-one structure collapsed on two adjacent single-storey structures in Maharashtra Nagar, Mankhurd on Thursday morning, while eleven others who have sustained injuries are being treated at Sion hospital. Four families were affected in the mishap.
The mishap took place around 6 am after an LPG cylinder exploded at the ground floor residence of Umesh Gadhave's family. Gadhave (35) stayed there with his wife and two children, one Hanumant Pawar stayed on the first floor with his wife and two kids.
Those killed in the mishap have been identified as Shankar Wankhede (38) his wife Rekha (30) and mother Kasturba (60). Wankhede family who used to stay in one of the adjacent house of Gadhave. Shankar's son Prasit (10) and daughter Vishakha (13) sustained injuries are being treated at the Sion hospital.
"We were asleep when the mishap took place. We were stuck under the debris." said Vishakha.
According to the fire brigade officials, the incident took place when the accumulated gas of leaked LPG cylinder came in contact with ignited stove due resulting in blast and due to the impact of the blast the adjacent structures too got damaged.
"It was level one fire. After receiving call around 6:12 am we dispatched three fire engines, one rescue van and an ambulance to the spot," said Chief Fire Officer Prabhat Rahangdale.
"I woke up around 6 am and went to the kitchen. The blast took place so quickly that I could not figure out what exactly happened. I could not smell the gas, but when i lit up the stove, blast occurred," said Umesh Gadhave, who is being treated at the Sion hospital along with his two children and wife Shobha.
The neighbors heard the voice of blast and saw the flames and smoke emanating from Gadhave's house around 6 am. "I opened my door around 6 am and was able to feel the smell of LP gas but ignored it. Within few moments something broke out in the house and I saw flames and smoke coming out from Gadhave's house. It happened so quickly that the ceiling and walls of Pawar's residence collapsed on Wankhede's house and the water tank of Wankhede also fell off upon the structure. Due to which the Wankhede family were stuck under the debris" Said neighbour Shevanta Sanap.
Jadhav family who also lives in the other adjacent house of Gadhave family, too got affected in the mishap. "My son Swastik got injured in the mishap," said mother of Swastik Jadhav who has sustained injuries in a mishap is hospitalised.
"At 6 am we heard a blast and all ran outside. We realised there is a fire and informed the fire brigade. When fire was doused, we learnt that 3 houses are collapsed", said another neighbour Anusaya Chavan.
Trombay police too have initated a probe in the matter.
The remains of the structures are being demolished.
