Fire officer saved 12 before collapsing
An assistant fire station officer was involved in the rescue of over a dozen people in the Powai building blaze before he had to be hospitalised because of suffocation.
Fellow firemen said Pravin Mohanrao Pawar (pictured) showed tremendous courage until he could no longer breathe properly as the smoke filled a 21-storey residential tower in Lake Home complex on Saturday evening. On Sunday, his condition improved at Hiranandani Hospital, though he still had breathing problems. Pawar said he was earlier posted at the Andheri West fire station, but because of shortage of staff, he was asked to report to the Marol station. “We got the call in the evening. After we reached the spot, we decided to access the affected building from the terrace of an adjoining wing,” Pawar said.
The fire had broken out on the 14th floor of B wing. “We broke open the terrace door and found six people gasping for breath on the stairway. The terrace was locked so they had taken refuge there. We brought them to safety,” Pawar said. Pawar then went to the 17th floor and heard screams for help. He rescued a group of people before Pawar started feeling breathless. He went back to the terrace, but collapsed. “The last thing I remember is my colleagues carrying me downstairs,” he said.
Fellow firemen said Pravin Mohanrao Pawar (pictured) showed tremendous courage until he could no longer breathe properly as the smoke filled a 21-storey residential tower in Lake Home complex on Saturday evening. On Sunday, his condition improved at Hiranandani Hospital, though he still had breathing problems. Pawar said he was earlier posted at the Andheri West fire station, but because of shortage of staff, he was asked to report to the Marol station. “We got the call in the evening. After we reached the spot, we decided to access the affected building from the terrace of an adjoining wing,” Pawar said.
The fire had broken out on the 14th floor of B wing. “We broke open the terrace door and found six people gasping for breath on the stairway. The terrace was locked so they had taken refuge there. We brought them to safety,” Pawar said. Pawar then went to the 17th floor and heard screams for help. He rescued a group of people before Pawar started feeling breathless. He went back to the terrace, but collapsed. “The last thing I remember is my colleagues carrying me downstairs,” he said.
Chief Fire Officer Pralhad Rahandale said electrical ducts had not been sealed properly in the building, which allowed the smoke to spread to upper floors. “We will issue a notice to the society,” Rahandale said. Pawar hails from Nashik and got married only five months ago. “I was lucky I did not suffer any burn injuries,” Pawar said.
