Diwali Turns Tragic in Navi Mumbai: Four Dead, Including 6-Year-Old Girl, in Vashi High-Rise Blaze

Navi Mumbai: Diwali celebrations turned into a night of horror in Navi Mumbai after a major fire broke out in a high-rise residential building, killing four people including a six-year-old girl and injuring at least ten others.

The fire broke out late Monday night at Raheja Residency in Sector 14, Vashi. Officials said the blaze began on the 10th floor and quickly spread to the 11th and 12th floors of the building, trapping several residents inside.

Firefighters responded swiftly and battled the flames for hours before bringing the situation under control. However, by then, the fire had claimed the lives of Vedika Sundar Balakrishnan (6), her parents Sundar Balakrishnan (44) and Pooja Rajan (39), who lived on the 12th floor, and Kamala Hiral Jain (84), who was on the 10th floor.

Ten others sustained injuries and are currently undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was likely caused by a short circuit. A detailed probe is underway to determine the exact cause and assess the extent of the damage.

The tragedy in Vashi was one of several fire-related incidents reported across Mumbai on Diwali day. Fire officials confirmed receiving emergency calls for 32 fire incidents across the city on Monday. Earlier that day, a separate blaze in Mumbai’s Cuffe Parade claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy and injured three others.

In recent weeks, the city has witnessed a series of fire incidents, including a car fire on the Coastal Road that disrupted traffic and a deadly cooking gas cylinder explosion in Kandivali that killed four people.