MUMBAI: A devastating fire in the upscale Lokhandwala complex in Andheri (West) resulted in the deaths of three individuals on Wednesday morning, marking the third fire incident in the area in just 15 months. The victims include 73-year-old marine engineer Chander Prakash Soni, who was blind, his wife Kanta, 65, and their domestic help Ravi Bhatia, 43.
The fire erupted shortly before 8 a.m. in the Sonis’ 10th-floor apartment in the Riya Palace building on Cross Lane number 4. Emergency services were alerted at 7:46 a.m., and fire engines along with ambulances promptly responded to the scene.
P.D. Sandikar, a divisional fire officer, stated that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Riya Palace’s secretary, Krishan Arora, and chairman, Dr. Raju Sahetya, assisted the authorities by providing access to CCTV footage from the society office.
Residents reported that Kanta’s body was found severely burned, while Dr. Sahetya attempted CPR on the couple but detected no pulse. He noted that the domestic helper’s nostrils were blocked with soot. All three victims were rushed to Cooper Hospital, where their remains were later transferred to the mortuary.
This incident follows a major fire at Sterling Bungalow number 11 on September 19 and another significant blaze at Nebula Apartments on July 26, 2023, both within close proximity to Wednesday’s tragedy.
