Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Iron Press Suspected in Mumbai Fire That Killed Woman, Toddler
Late on a Tuesday night, a big fire started in a tall apartment building in Mumbai, a city in India.
A young woman who took care of a little boy, and the little boy himself, sadly died in the fire.
Six other people were hurt.
Firefighters came quickly and worked for about three hours to put out the flames.
The fire started in a flat on the top floor.
People who are investigating think it might have started because an iron was left on some clothes, or because of a problem with an air conditioner.
The woman and the boy hid in the bathroom to get away from the fire, but the smoke made it hard to breathe.
The little boy's grandfather built the building, and his parents were out on a walk when the fire started.
Firefighters are still trying to find out exactly what caused the fire.
A fire broke out around 10 pm on Tuesday at Shanta Bhuvan Co-operative Housing Society in Vile Parle West, Mumbai, killing 23-year-old Anikta Chhetri and two-and-a-half-year-old Abir.
Six other people were injured in the blaze, which started in flat No. 1102 on the top floor of the ground-plus-11-storey building.
A preliminary probe indicates an iron press left on clothes for several minutes may have triggered the fire; an electrical short circuit involving an AC unit is also being examined.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade declared the fire Level-I at 10.08 pm, escalated it to Level-II at 10.16 pm, and brought it under control around 1 am.
Chhetri and Abir died of suffocation after taking refuge in a bathroom; flat owner Hiren Batavia rescued his granddaughter but sustained minor burns.
- Who
- Anikta Chhetri, a 23-year-old househelp and caretaker, and two-and-a-half-year-old Abir died; six others were injured, and flat owner Hiren Batavia sustained minor burns.
- What
- A fire broke out in a top-floor flat of an 11-storey building, killing two people and injuring six.
- When
- Tuesday night, around 10 pm; the blaze was brought under control at around 1 am the next day.
- Where
- Shanta Bhuvan Co-operative Housing Society, Baptista Road, Vile Parle West, Mumbai.
- Why
- Fire officials suspect an iron press left on clothes for several minutes or an electrical short circuit involving an AC unit triggered the blaze; the exact cause is still under investigation.
- Deaths
- 2 - Anikta Chhetri (23) and Abir (2.5)
- Injured
- 6
- Location
- Flat No. 1102, Shanta Bhuvan Co-operative Housing Society, Baptista Road, Vile Parle West, Mumbai
- Building
- Ground-plus-11-storey residential building
- Fire reported
- Around 10 pm, Tuesday
- Fire escalation
- Level-I at 10.08 pm; Level-II at 10.16 pm
- Fire controlled
- Around 1 am, after nearly three hours of firefighting
- Suspected causes
- Iron press left on clothes; electrical short circuit involving an AC unit