Woman and granddaughter die in fire at Kalyan flat; police suspect short circuit

The police said the deceased Khatija Mahimkar and her granddaughter Ibra Shaikh were sleeping in the bedroom and did not realise that a fire had broken out in the living room.

A police officer said there was a power outage in the area around midnight and as the electricity was restored a few hours later, a fire broke out in the living room and started spreading.

However, by the time the women realised their house was on fire, it had engulfed the bedroom, said the officer. Shaikh woke up due to the smoke and alerted her grandmother but before the women could leave the house, they suffocated and lost consciousness, added the officer.

The fire brigade officials reached the house and rescued them. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead.

An officer from the Bazarpeth police station in Kalyan said prima facie a short circuit appears to be the cause of the fire. The officer said, “We are investigating and if we find anyone responsible for the fire, an FIR will be registered.”