Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Vile Parle Fire Kills Two-Year-Old and Caretaker; Probe Narrows Causes
A very sad accident happened in Mumbai.
A fire started in a tall apartment building called Shanta Bhuvan.
The fire began on the top floor in one family's home.
A two-year-old boy named Abir and the lady who took care of him could not escape.
They went into the bathroom to be safe, but the smoke filled the room and they could not breathe.
Abir's grandfather, who built the building, saved his other granddaughter but was hurt.
The boy's parents were not home because they had gone for a walk after dinner.
Firefighters came very quickly and worked for almost three hours to stop the fire.
The fire might have started from an air conditioner problem or from an iron that was left on.
Sadly, the building's fire safety equipment was not working, which made things harder.
Everyone who heard about the fire feels very sad for the family.
A fire in flat 1102 on the 11th floor of Shanta Bhuvan CHS in Vile Parle, Mumbai, killed two-year-old Abir and his caretaker Anikta Chhetri, who suffocated in a bathroom.
The building was developed by the child's grandfather, real estate developer Hiren Batavia (64), who rescued his granddaughter Maira but suffered minor burns trying to save others.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade declared a Level-I fire at 10.08pm, escalating to Level-II at 10.16pm; the blaze was brought under control around 1am after nearly three hours.
Investigation narrowed down to two probable causes: an electrical short circuit in the AC unit above the living room TV, or the caretaker leaving the iron press on clothes.
Fire-safety systems in the building were found to be non-working, and dense smoke covering the entire floor hampered firefighting efforts.
Eight others survived with minor injuries, including the child's uncle Parth, who was rescued after signalling firefighters with his phone torch.
- Who
- Two-year-old Abir and his caretaker Anikta Chhetri (23) died; Hiren Batavia (64), the child's grandfather and the building's developer, and seven others survived with minor injuries.
- What
- A fire broke out in flat 1102 on the top floor, and the child and caretaker suffocated to death inside a packed bathroom.
- When
- Tuesday at around 10pm; the fire was brought under control around 1am after nearly three hours of firefighting.
- Where
- Shanta Bhuvan Co-operative Housing Society, Baptista Road near St. Xavier's School, Vile Parle, Mumbai.
- Why
- Two probable causes are being investigated: an electrical short circuit in the AC unit above the TV, or the caretaker leaving the iron press on clothes.
- Location
- Shanta Bhuvan CHS, 11th floor, flat 1102, Baptista Road, Vile Parle, Mumbai
- Casualties
- 2 dead (Abir, 2, and caretaker Anikta Chhetri, 23); 8 others injured
- Fire Timeline
- Started ~10pm; Level-I at 10.08pm; Level-II at 10.16pm; controlled ~1am
- Affected Area
- Approximately 4,000 sq.ft., including wiring, AC unit, sofa, bed, false ceiling and kitchen
- Probable Causes
- Electrical short circuit in AC unit OR iron press left on clothes
- Building Developer
- Hiren Batavia's company, Labh Homes Creations
- Safety Systems
- Fire extinguishers available, but fire-safety systems found non-working
- Survivors
- Maira (6), Parth (32), Yashaswi and Abhishek Aggarwal and their two children, among others