Mumbai Man Chooses to Stay with Bedridden Mother in Devastating Fire, Both Died

Mumbai: A devastating fire broke out on Saturday evening in the Jethabhai Govindji building in Girgaon, resulting in the tragic deaths of a man and his 80-year-old bedridden mother. The fire brigade believes that a short circuit in the electric box on the ground floor caused the fire, which quickly spread due to the old wooden stairs.

The man, identified as Dhiren Nalinkant Shah, worked as a chemist and refused to abandon his elderly mother, Nalini, even as the fire grew more intense. While the rest of his family evacuated the building, Dhiren made the difficult decision to stay with his mother.

Unfortunately, the fire continued to spread, and the Shah family’s home was engulfed in flames by the time the fire brigade managed to control the blaze. Neighbors watched in shock as Dhiren succumbed to the fire, while others were rescued through a connecting plank to an adjacent high-rise building undergoing redevelopment.

The three-story wooden structure, with its Mangalore tile roofing, suffered extensive damage due to the rapid spread of the flames. Located near Chowpatty, the old building did not have a fire-fighting system in place. Residents had to break the grilles of their homes to escape through the windows since the building’s entry was engulfed in flames.

In the aftermath of the fire, residents were forced to evacuate their homes due to the building becoming uninhabitable. The absence of electricity and widespread fire-related debris made it unsafe for them to remain.

This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the importance of fire safety measures, particularly in older buildings. The lack of a fire-fighting system and the presence of flammable materials contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Authorities must ensure that adequate safety measures are in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.