Fire in 17-storey Raheja Carlisle building in Thane; about 50 rescued, Shinde says no casualties

A major fire broke out on Sunday evening, November 8, in the 17-storey Raheja Carlisle residential building in the Raheja Garden complex at Wagle Estate in Thane. The fire spread across several floors and people were trapped inside the building. About 50 people were brought out safely. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said there were no casualties.

According to Shinde, the fire broke out at around 8 pm. He said firefighters and the Tactical Disaster Response (TDR) team risked their lives to bring 50 people out.

Shinde said, "A big fire broke out in the Raheja building at 8 o'clock. Our firefighters and the TDR team worked with great courage. They risked their lives to bring people out and brought 50 people out safely. Smoke had filled the entire area and people were trapped in the fire."

He said that as smoke and flames spread, residents were taken to the terrace and to designated safe spots. Shinde said, "The fire and smoke were outside their homes, so the rescue teams first took them to the terrace and to designated safe places. We were in constant touch with the residents and were giving them instructions."

According to Shinde, drones were also used to monitor the situation and to locate the fire and the people needing help. The Deputy Chief Minister said, "We also used drones, which gave us a live picture of where the fire was, where the people were and where it would be better to move them. There were no casualties."

According to the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation, the fire started in the building's electrical duct and corridor and affected sections between the seventh and 14th floors. The fire brigade was informed at 8.31 pm. The fire spread from the eighth floor towards the upper floors, and several residents were trapped as smoke filled the building.

Fire brigade and disaster management teams arrived immediately and began fighting the fire and evacuating people. On being informed, Shinde, MP Naresh Mhaske and MLA Ravindra Phatak also reached the spot. They spoke to the residents trapped on the upper floors and reassured them. Some residents were advised to move to safe spots and the rest were asked to take shelter on the terrace.

Because of the dense smoke, it was not safe to use the lifts, so firefighters brought people out using the stairs and stretchers. The rescue operation went on for several hours. By late Sunday night, about 50 residents had come out safely. Pets, including dogs and cats, were also rescued.

According to the RDMC, some residents had difficulty breathing after inhaling smoke. They were given first aid and discharged. There are no reports of any casualty.

Two Bronto fire vehicles, two fire engines, one water tanker and two jumbo water tankers were used to fight the fire. The Mumbai Fire Brigade also sent a hydraulic platform and a fire engine to help the Thane teams. RDMC and disaster management teams were deployed along with ambulances and police. The fire was completely put out at around 2.30 am on Monday. The main entrances of the building were cordoned off as a precaution.

The fire caused heavy damage to the building's electrical duct, corridors, the doors of several flats, electrical wiring and household belongings. The damage was being assessed.

The administration has begun an inquiry to find the cause of the fire. Officials are examining whether it was caused by firecrackers or an electrical short circuit. The exact cause had not been confirmed at the time of writing.

Residents of Raheja Garden thanked Shinde, the firefighters and disaster management personnel for bringing the situation under control and getting everyone out safely.

Several public representatives and senior civic officials were present during the rescue. Those who reached the spot included MP Shrikant Shinde, MLA Niranjan Davkhare, Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao, Mayor Sharmila Pimpolkar and corporators Vikas Repale, Namrata Bhosle-Jadhav and Minal Sankhe, along with senior officials, firefighters and disaster management teams.