Palghar Fire: Two Women Dead, Six Hospitalised After Blaze Erupts in Maharashtra's Imperial Heights Building

Nalasopara: A massive fire broke out on the eighth to tenth floors of the Imperial Heights building in Nalasopara in Maharashtra's Palghar district, prompting a rescue operation by fire brigade personnel.

Two women lost their lives and six others were taken to the hospital following a large fire that erupted in a 14-storey building in Maharashtra's Palghar district late Wednesday night, officials reported.

The fire was reported at 12:10 am at the Imperial Heights structure on the Nalasopara-Vasai Link Road, stated an official from the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation's (VVMC) fire department, noting that 25 individuals were saved from the building.

The official stated that two women, named Falguni Shah (50) and Ashwini Parkar (50), passed away following the incident.Preliminary information from doctors suggests they likely died from smoke inhalation leading to suffocation. He stated that the precise cause of death will be determined after the autopsy.

A short circuit is suspected to have caused the blaze, though the exact cause is yet to be ascertained.

According to the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Prithviraj BP, the fire was reported around 11.30 pm on Tuesday.

He told reporters that following the blaze, the fire department, police department and administrative staff and officials soon engaged in a rescue operation.

"A fire broke out at the Imperial Heights building within the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation limits. Subsequently, our fire department, police department, and administrative staff and officials engaged in rescue operations, he said.

He said that 15 people were rescued during the operation, while several others managed to evacuate the building on their own.

The commissioner said that a woman aged over 60 is feared dead, adding that further details would be shared as they became available.

"Fifteen people were rescued, and many others managed to come down on their own. An investigation is pending, but there are reports of a casualty—a woman over the age of 60; we will share further details as we receive them, said Prithviraj BP.

A detailed investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the fire, he said.

Further details are awaited. 

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