Mumbai Kasturba Hospital gas leak: Residents of adjoining buildings shifted to community hall, temple

Astral Central, a ground-plus seven-storey building, shares a boundary wall with the hospital and is nearest to the LPG yard, where the leak was detected. The first and second floors of the building are residential with 12 flats, while the remaining floors house a call centre and offices.

Swati Lokhande, a resident of Astral Central, said, “Since our flats face the LPG yard, we can smell the gas daily. But today the smell was strong and suffocating. The BMC staffers asked us to immediately evacuate the premises around noon. We were given water and snacks, but it is unclear when we will be allowed to return to our flat.”

In addition to Astral Central, two BMC-owned chawls and the five-storey Aboli Deep buildings, including several shops, were evacuated. As a precautionary measure, the petrol pump next to the hospital building on Arthur Road was also shut.

Shops and other establishments, restaurants, eateries and an office complex on Arthur Road and Delisle Road were asked to turn off electricity and LPG supply until further notice.