Women console each other after their hutments were destroyed by a major fire that broke out at a slum in Kandivali (east), in Mumbai on Monday — Shripad Naik
Local residents, activists and volunteers came forward to help victims of the fire that broke out at Damu Nagar slums in Kandivali. A few tents were put up at Vilasrao Deshmukh garden and Damu Nagar bus depot by local Congress leader Ajantha Yadav.
“Tuesday onwards, we will start collecting donations. But as of now, we have gathered as many children and aged people and put them up in tents and are providing them with food and water,” said Ms Yadav.
Homemaker Damyantiben Dattani said, “The moment I heard about the incident, I came to these tents with water bottles, biscuits and wafers. We cannot take away the victims’ pain but we can at least give them a helping hand.”
A senior doctor from Shatabdi Hospital where most of the injured have been admitted said, “Because people ran helter-skelter, we have more cases of injuries than fire burns.” Parvati Shankar Nanoma (65) is the oldest woman who suffered 25 per cent burns and has been admitted to the hospital.
Chandrakala Kharat (40), wife of deceased Prahlad Kharat, told The Asian Age, “My husband thought that if he went out, he may get burnt so he hid himself under our bed. After the fire got doused, I rushed towards my home and saw my husband’s skeleton under our bed.”
A teary-eyed Bhagwan Sable said, “I am staying here with my family since 1972. All our life’s savings, legal documents have been destroyed in this fire which has left us homeless.”
Rajana Pakhre, whose daughter was to get married on December 20 lost all the wedding shopping and the money they had withdrawn a day before for emergency purposes to the fire.
Local DCP M. Ramkumar said, “Our investigation is on. Two people have died and 11 have been injured. We are inquiring as to the reason for the fire. Proper action will be taken against those responsible.”
