Fire at Goregaon High Rise Was Caused by a Short Circuit

A fire reported yesterday, January 25, occurred in a penthouse apartment on the 26th floor of Anmol Pride in Goregaon West, believed to have been triggered by a short circuit.

Fire officials confirmed the blaze was confined to the 26th floor, although combustible materials like curtains, electric wiring, electric installation, household articles, renovation materials, Adhesive glue, Plywood, binder, furniture, doors,  wooden frame windows, window glass, and other chemical cans in duplex flat No 2501 and 2601 in an area about 2,500 sq. ft intensified the flames, prompting firefighters to raise the threat level from 1 to 2.

"A few individuals from the nearby office building came running after they spotted the smoke and raised the alarm of fire at the top floor of Anmol Pride, that is when it caught my eye, the fire brigade reached the spot within 20-30 minutes of fire and tried to curtail the flame," said Raju, a tea stall owner in the area. Confirming Raju's narration, Jagdish Yadav, a watchman from a nearby society said, "The smoke was huge, the people from the societies came outside their house, it almost took 5 to 6 hours to put off the fire, the possible reason was the short circuit."

Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) deployed eight fire engines, four jumbo tankers, and specialized equipment like a Jet Tanks (JT),  Aerial Water Tower Truck (AWTT),  and Hydraulic Rescue Vehicle to combat the blaze. Senior officials, including district and assistant district fire officers, were also present at the scene. By 10:30 pm, the fire was finally extinguished, thankfully without any injuries. Goregaon West Fire Official said, "This was Level-2 fire and as the building had more than 9 floors it required senior officers to be on the spot combating the situation."  

While fighting the fire, the firefighters faced several obstacles. The on-site fire suppression system reportedly malfunctioned, with sprinklers missing and rusty emergency pipes hindering water flow. To address this, firefighters had to lay hose pipes from the ground floor all the way to the 26th floor and utilize portable pumps to increase water pressure.

S.R Jhaybhaye said, "For putting off fire water is needed, Post 6.30 we started the operation and by 11 we were able to control the flames, with no loss of life." He also mentioned that in case, if a fire system had been in place, the fire would have not turned into Level- 2, also it would have helped to combat fire in less time.

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO) S.G. Jaybhaye added, "Water is key to put off the fire, but here the pressure of water was low and had to use a Light Portable Pump (LPP) on the 15th floor to increase the force of water. The firefighting operation commenced after 6:30 pm, and by 11 pm, we gained control over the flames." Jhaybhaye also mentioned that if a proper fire system had been in operation, the fire might not have escalated to Level 2, and it would have facilitated a quicker containment of the fire.

The MFB is now investigating negligence regarding fire safety measures at the building. As a part of the protocol, the ADFO has sent notices to the society's chairman and secretary asking to rectify the violations and put in place the fire system. Failure to comply with safety regulations could result in electricity and water disconnection. The officials are also attempting to contact the penthouse owner to determine any violations.