Survivors come to terms with loss

Ghatkopar residents Rahul Modi, 30, and Hiren Mehta, 35, are inconsolable. While the two narrowly escaped the fire at Hill View Industrial Estate, their fathers were not so lucky.

The charred bodies of Kiran Modi, owner of Modi Garments - where the fire first broke out - and Bhupatrai Mehta, owner of Mehta Printing Press that was located on the building's third floor, were recovered by fire fighters late on Wednesday night.

What the two sons find particularly difficult to accept is that they could not come to their fathers' rescue. Both Rahul and Hiren were inside the building when they heard a blast. "Like everyone inside the building, the two rushed out. It was only when it was too late that they realised that their fathers were trapped inside," said a relative of the Mehtas.

Apart from Modi and Mehta, eight others lost their lives in the incident. While 16 of the injured were rushed to Adarsh Hospital in Amrut Nagar, seven were admitted to Rajawadi, of whom four have been discharged.  "Among the 16 people admitted to our hospital, three had sustained 40 per cent burns. But they are out of danger and will recover soon," said Smita Orke, owner and dean of Adarsh Hospital.

Nasruddin Ansari and Pradeep Kanojia, both workers at Modi Garments, are recuperating at Rajawadi Hospital. They had shared an auto when they were brought to the hospital. "The factory usually closes at 7.30 pm. We were both working when the fire occurred. The roof caved in on us and we lost consciousness," said Kanojia.