Trapped in loo, man charred in Mumbai timber warehouse fire, scores of other shops affected (Lead)

Mumbai, Jan 26 (IANS) A 50-year-old man was charred to death in a major fire that broke out in a timber warehouse in the congested Chor Bazaar area of south Mumbai, compelling the evacuation of residents in an adjacent building, the BMC Disaster Control said here on Friday.  

The blaze was reported around 2 a.m. from the timber warehouse, spread over 7,000-8,000 sq.feet in the Kamathipura vicinity, plus other shops and hotels. 

The Mumbai Fire Brigade, Police and other agencies rushed to the spot and launched the massive firefighting operations, with over 16 fire tenders deployed there. 

The conflagration had spread through the timber stocks, electrical wiring, and some stocks of chemicals, adding fuel to the fire. 

The blaze spread quickly and had affected around 400-500 other shops, restaurants and commercial establishments in the immediate neighbourhood, sparking panic among the locals in the early hours. 

In a precautionary move, the authorities had the Platinum Mall and people living in a skyscraper adjacent to the timber warehouse vacated as the flames continued to spread. 

An eyewitness said that many people were seen hurrying out in the darkness in their night clothes, some with their children and others helping elders. 

Around dawn, the rescue teams recovered a fully charred body of a man, later identified as Ghanshyam Prajapati, who may have been trapped in a bathroom in the warehouse premises, while trying to escape the flames and toxic fumes. 

He was declared dead on arrival at the nearby Sir J.J. Hospital, said the BMC Disaster Control. The conflagration - the cause of the fire is not yet known – was finally doused after over 10 hours, and now cooling operations are underway.