The fire brigade pressed into service one robot, 20 motor pumps, 15 jumbo tankers, three water tankers, three high-ladders, three vehicles with respiratory systems, one control room vehicle and other equipment.

The fire broke out on the first floor of Dreams Mall around midnight. Pic/Sameer Markande

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The fire brigade, Mumbai Police and other agencies worked jointly to rescue 68 patients, who were rushed to various hospitals across the city. After a thorough search for missing people, five men and three women patients were found in an unconscious state. They were immediately rushed to other hospitals.

A BMC official said, “Unfortunately nine people died due to suffocation. Meanwhile, the hospital said that the bodies of two people who died while undergoing treatment at Sunrise Hospital have also been recovered from the spot. The municipal administration has requested the Bhandup police to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident.”

The 10 people whose bodies have been recovered are Nisar Javedchand, 74, Mungekar, 66, Govindlal Das, 80, Manjula Batharia, 65, Ambaji Narayan Patil, 65, Sunandabai Ambaji Patil, 58, Sudhir Sakharam Lad. 66, Harish Karmchand Sachdev, 68, Shyam Bhaktilal, 77. One is yet to be identified.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, who visited the spot, said, “This is the first time I see a hospital functioning inside a mall and it is a serious lapse. Seven patients were on ventilators. Sixty-eight patients have been taken to other hospitals. There will be an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.”

Amid accusations of just having provisional permissions, the hospital issued a statement saying, “This hospital was started under exceptional circumstances amid the pandemic last year and it has helped in saving the lives of a number of COVID-19 patients. It is functioning with all due compliances like fire licence, nursing home license, etc. The hospital staff did a fantastic job in safely evacuating the patients on wheelchairs and beds to the refuge areas by following the fire drills.”

Police speak

Bhandup cops investigating the matter have filed an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in connection with the death of 11 people. Shyam Shinde, senior inspector of Bhandup police station said, “We are investigataing the matter. The statements of various people are being recorded and we have registered an ADR. The fire report from the fire brigade will be crucial in this matter,” he said. 

Missing patient found dead

The family of a patient, Ashok Waghmare, 68, who was missing after the fire, blamed a government COVID Care Centre for not looking after Ashok Waghmare, 68, properly, as that is why they had shifted him to the Sunrise hospital. His son-in-law Pratik Ashar went from one hospital to another in search of him. On Friday evening they were finally able to find Waghmare. “We found my father-in-law at Agarwal hospital but he is dead. I think he must have died last night. We are now taking the body to Rajawadi hospital for further procedures,” said Ashar. He added, “A few days back we admitted him to the COVID treatment facility at Nair hospital but as no one was taking proper care of him there, we shifted him to the private Sunrise hospital at Bhandup.

Admission to close hospital proved unfortunate

Had Harish Sachdev been admitted to the COVID Centre at SevenHills hospital in Andheri East, he would have been alive. However, he was taken to Sunrise Hospital for further treatment and died in the fire.

Talking to mid-day, BJP leader Balchandra Shirsat said a relative of Sachdev had contacted him the previous morning seeking help to get him admitted at the earliest, as his health was deteriorating. “I immediately called the COVID Centre at SevenHills and informed the family that he could be shifted there. But destiny had other plans. As Sunrise Hospital was close by, the family members got him admitted there. I hope the authorities take a serious note about this tragic incident and take strict action against all those responsible for it.”