19 March,2014 08:39 AM IST | | Richa Pinto
Residents of the lower floors of the building in Samata Nagar, whose tenth floor caught fire on Sunday, decide to stay without the basic amenities
Residents of New Gulmohar society, at Samata Nagar in Thane, who woke up to an inferno that swept the 10th floor of their building on Sunday morning are finding ways to get back to their normal lives. The fire claimed the lives of an elderly couple, Nirmala (78) and Shivajirao Choughule (84).
The two lifts (far left) of the building sported a sign saying that the lifts are non functional and residents will have to make use of the staircase. Pics/Sameer Markande
Two others Ranjana Sawe (45) and her son Vikramaditya (17) were injured. With inadequate water supply and no electricity after the fire, the occupants of the 10-storey building are finding it difficult to occupy their homes.
New Gulmohar building in Samata Nagar, where the fire broke out on Sunday morning
Most of the society members of this plush society are seeking refuge in their relatives or friends' homes. However, residents inhabiting the lower floors have decided to make some adjustments and stay in the building itself.
Lifts non functional
The two lifts of the building have been rendered non-functional after the fire. Residents will have to make use of the staircase. Umesh Shetty, who lives on the fifth floor of the building with his family, said that they have no other option than to use the staircase.
Victim serious
The medical condition of Vikramaditya, who was injured in this fire, is serious, as he suffered 50 per cent burns. Doctors at the National Burns Centre (NBC) in Airoli, where the boy is admitted, said the teen is currently in the ICU of the hospital and underwent surgery last morning.
Dr S M Keswani, medical director of NBC, said that they would be using skin from the hospital's skin bank for the treatment. "The boy has suffered close to 50 per cent burns, but fortunately his face has not been scarred in the accident.
Thus, we have decided to operate on him. Initially, the patient is never in a condition to donate his own skin and therefore, we require skin from the skin bank," said Dr Keswani. Relatives of the injured who were at the hospital attending to the injured boy refused to speak to the media.
