Mumbai Fire – Elderly Couple Dies After Meter Box Blaze in Jogeshwari
Mumbai Fire – An elderly couple died after reportedly suffocating when a fire erupted in an electric meter box at their home in Jogeshwari East, Mumbai, on Friday morning. Officials said dense smoke quickly filled parts of the chawl, leaving the two residents unable to escape its effects.
Fire reported at Gomati Vaishali Chawl
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said the incident occurred at Gomati Vaishali Chawl at around 6:59 am. The fire was reported in an electricity meter box, and smoke spread through the residential premises soon after.
According to the civic body, the victims were taken to Trauma Care Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival. The deceased were identified as Salim Tadvi, 75, and his wife Mumtaz Tadvi, 67. Both lived at the chawl where the fire was reported.
Officials said the cause of the fire and the circumstances that led to the smoke accumulation are being examined. Further details from the investigation were awaited.
Manhole death raises concern during Assembly session
The deaths in Jogeshwari came as Mumbai continued to face scrutiny over civic safety during the monsoon season. A separate incident involving a pedestrian who fell into an open manhole in the Sakinaka area triggered sharp exchanges in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
BJP MLA Ameet Satam raised the matter during the monsoon session and sought immediate action against contractors and municipal officials believed to be responsible for the alleged lapse. He called for strict accountability in the case.
Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar said the government should not limit its response to suspensions. He suggested that police should consider registering a case of culpable homicide against those found responsible if negligence is established during the inquiry.
Opposition questions municipal preparedness
The incident also led to criticism from the Opposition. Congress MLA Nana Patole questioned the response of the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, citing recent deaths linked to civic infrastructure and monsoon conditions.
Patole referred to earlier incidents in the city, including the death of a child after a tree fell on a bus during the initial spell of rains. He said residents should not have to face fatal risks because of failures in maintenance and public safety systems.
The BMC has already suspended four officials in connection with the Sakinaka case. Those suspended include the Assistant Commissioner of L Ward, and the action will remain in place while an inquiry is conducted.
Search committee formed after Sakinaka incident
The man who fell into the open manhole has been identified as 60-year-old Aslam Isak Shaikh, a resident of Yadav Nagar in Sakinaka. The incident took place on Khairani Road, within the limits of Sakinaka Police Station, where work related to a water drainage grill was underway.
The civic body said Shaikh was walking through the area when he accidentally fell into the open drainage point during the maintenance work. Officials said the body had been located, while recovery efforts were continuing.
BMC Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. The committee, headed by the Additional Municipal Commissioner for the western suburbs, has been asked to submit a detailed report within seven days.
The two incidents have renewed attention on electrical safety, maintenance work and public infrastructure in Mumbai during the monsoon, when heavy rain and waterlogging can increase risks in residential and public areas.