Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 24: In a heart-stopping incident in Malad (West), a couple narrowly escaped a massive fire that broke out in their seventh-floor flat at Bhoomi Classic CHS near Inorbit Mall in the early hours of Wednesday. The couple — Bollywood cameraman Sunil Khandpur (58) and his wife Pooja (51) — broke open their bathroom window and climbed down two floors using water and drainage pipes to save their lives.

The blaze erupted around 4:30 am, filling their apartment and corridor with thick, suffocating smoke. “When we opened the front door, the corridor was full of smoke and unbearably hot. We had no option but to go back inside,” recalled Khandpur. Realising escape through the main door was impossible, they broke the bathroom window glass, pushed the grill aside, and crawled out through the narrow opening.

With the help of their phone’s flashlight, the couple made their way down the pipes to the sixth floor, only to find it dangerously hot. They descended another level, stopping at the fifth floor, where crossed pipes gave them a foothold to wait for help. “A water pipe from the seventh floor burst, and the water began pouring over our heads. We truly believe it was Ganpati Bappa’s blessing that saved us,” said an emotional Khandpur.

The couple waited over an hour before firefighters rescued them safely. Two of their eight pet cats died in the fire, but the rest were saved by the fire brigade.

Senior station officer AJ Jadhav suffered a ligament injury while rescuing a 10-year-old child from another floor. The operation, led by assistant divisional fire officer MN Dhonde along with officers Ashish Kesarkar, VN Tekwade, and Jadhav, successfully rescued seven people from the blaze.

While the exact cause of the fire is still being investigated, residents hailed the firefighters for their swift action and bravery that prevented a major tragedy.