Mumbai: 8 injured as houses collapse in Chembur after LPG cylinder blast

The incident was reported at 7.52 am in Chembur Camp near the Golf Club. According to the residents, a gas cylinder blast triggered the collapse of approximately four or five structures, leaving people stranded inside the houses. In a bid to aid the rescue operations, the MFB was pressed into service and declared the call as ‘Level I’ at 10 am.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Pritam Mundhe, Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO) of M/West ward, said that two chawl structures collapsed entirely while the others also suffered damage. “There was a leakage in the gas line resulting in the explosion, which then affected two structures that collapsed. Some more structures were also affected. These were residential chawls housing several families. We safely rescued 18 people who were stranded in the several structures,” said Mundhe.

Meanwhile, preliminary reports furnished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that 11 people stranded on the first floor were rescued safely by the firemen and whisked to safety using PRT kits and other rescue machinery.

Eight people who were injured were taken to hospital for treatment, of which four are from one family. The victims have been identified as Vikas Ambhore (50), Savita Ambhore (47), Ashok Ambhore (27), Rohit Ambhore (29), Rahul Kamble (35), Parth Singh (21) Manor Nirbhawane (54) and Sunanda Nirbhawane (49). Manor sustained 35 – 45 per cent burns on his leg, while Sunanda sustained 80 per cent burns, including on face. Both of them are admitted to hospital, while others have been discharged.