A Searing Little Fire in Mumbai
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo Gallery: Infrastructural concerns and safety negligence have led to multiple major fires in Mumbai in recent years. But there are fires that often go unreported, small flares that alert the Maximum City of the rising infernos to come.
One March morning in 2017, I remember waking to the sound of explosions—and then, walking towards the sight of combustion. Some two-wheelers had been set afire due to what was likely a system failure in one of the parked vehicles. Even though it was illegal to park in this zone, nevertheless, a number of vehicles found their way stationed here. The concerned ignition was a result of negligence—leading to the photographed fire.
Fires have historically been a frequent obstacle in Mumbai. Unlike the fire in my locality, destruction of property is not typically the most pertinent concern. These infernos have often been accompanied by injuries and deaths for individuals in proximity to the disaster. It was reported that the city has faced approximately 1,500 fires in high-rise buildings alone over the past decade.
There is substantial documentation present for larger fires, such as the Kalbadevi Fire from 2015, which claimed the lives of three fire officers and seriously injuring the chief officer. There was the Metro House Fire from 2016, which took two days to extinguish. And there was the Kamala Mills Fire in 2017, which claimed the lives of fourteen people and injured sixteen more.
However, the same is not true for smaller fires. Given the date, time, and location, the concerned fire has never been reported on or documented, according to public search resources. Even as authorities got involved in extinguishing the fire, there is no information on such incidents.
These photographs exist as the sole archive of the fire in Juhu.
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo: Altamash Kadir
Photo: Altamash Kadir
