Nalasopara: Two women living on the 12th floor of the Imperial Heritage building in Achole, Nalasopara East, died of suffocation after a major fire broke out on Tuesday night. The victims, Falguni Shah (58) and Ashwini Parkar (55), were unable to escape due to their health conditions and physical weakness.
Shah lived with her husband and son. She had been unwell ever since contracting Covid-19 and also had an injury to her leg that made walking difficult. Her son, Chaitya, returned home from work around 11.30 pm. Soon after dinner, the family noticed smoke and heard commotion outside.
As smoke began filling their flat, Chaitya urged his parents to leave the bedroom immediately. Shah’s husband held her hand and helped her get up, but she lost her grip and was left behind as her husband and son managed to escape. They later realised she was missing. Her body was subsequently found and moved to the terrace by fire brigade personnel.
Parkar lived alone in a flat opposite Shah’s residence. She was asleep when the fire broke out and was reportedly unwell and physically weak. When fire brigade personnel broke open her door and entered the flat, they found her dead on the bed.
“She may have been unable to get up from the bed due to her weakness and died of suffocation,” Achole police said.
