The toll in Saturday’s massive fire in four-storey building at Kalbadevi mounted to three on Thursday, as deputy chief officer of Mumbai Fire Brigade Sudhir G Amin succumbed to severe burn wounds that he had suffered in the incident. Fifty-year-old Amin, who was battling for life after having suffered 92 per cent burn wounds in the fire that had swept through the Gokul Niwas building, passed away at the National Burns Centre at Airoli in Navi Mumbai.
Earlier, two senior fire officials — Assistant divisional fire officer SW Rane, and M M Desai — had been killed in the mishap. Amin was among the four officers who had been trapped under the debris of the building, a portion of which had collapsed after a massive fire broke out in the structure on Saturday evening.
Of the three other trapped, two officers — Rane and Desai — died on the first day itself, while Chief Fire Officer Sunil Nesrikar — who was rescued from under the debris of the collapsed structure — is undergoing treatment for 57 per cent burns that he had suffered, at the National Burns Centre. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and CM Devendra Fadnavis, in separate statements issued in the evening, expressed grief over the passing away of Amin.
Condoling the death of Amin, the Governor said, “Amin had demonstrated exemplary courage while discharging his duty during the massive fire at Kalbadevi in Mumbai last week. He risked his own life to save that of others. Amin is a martyr who died in the line of duty.” In his condolence message, Fadnavis mourned the death, by saying that in the passing away of Amin the state had lost a competent fire officer.
“For the last six days, Shri Amin was battling for life and many people were praying for his recovery. His death has caused anguish to one and all. I pray to God to give his family the strength to bear this great personal loss,” the Governor stated.