A fire broke out at a ground-plus-one labour camp for construction workers at a Project Affected Persons (PAP) project in Mulund East on Thursday afternoon, triggering seven gas-cylinder blasts, according to a report by The Indian Express. All people occupying the premises were evacuated safely, and no casualties or injuries were reported.
The incident occurred at around 2 pm on October 8. A video circulated on social media showed thick black smoke rising from the premises before one of the cylinders exploded, sending a large fireball and smoke into the air.
The labour camp housed construction workers and formed part of a PAP project in Mulund East. Such camps are temporary residential facilities linked to construction activity, making fire safety, cooking arrangements, access for emergency vehicles and evacuation procedures important operational concerns. The report did not specify the number of workers present at the site or the number of structures affected by the fire.
The exact cause of the fire was not known at the time of reporting. The Indian Express report said the cause was yet to be ascertained, while further details were being collected by the authorities. No conclusion has been reported regarding whether the fire began because of a gas leak, an electrical fault, an accident or another factor.
Fire brigade services were called to the site to extinguish the blaze. The report said local police officials had made the necessary arrangements at the spot after the fire broke out. The safe evacuation of occupants prevented injuries despite the cylinder blasts and the intensity of the flames shown in the video.
The incident highlights the risks faced by workers living in temporary camps attached to large urban projects, although the available information does not establish any violation or lapse at the Mulund site. Authorities are expected to establish the cause of the fire and assess the condition of the affected premises as further details are ascertained.
