A major fire at a labour camp linked to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Project Affected Persons (BMC PAP) project in Mulund East triggered seven gas cylinder explosions on October 8, forcing workers to evacuate the ground-plus-one-storey premises. No casualties or fatalities had been reported at the time of publication.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone East 3) Abhaysinha Deshmukh stated the fire likely started as a small blaze before a gas cylinder exploded, intensifying the incident. “During the incident, seven gas cylinders exploded. All occupants of the premises were safely evacuated,” he said.
The labour camp, located in the Tata Colony area of Mulund East, was established to accommodate construction workers employed on the BMC PAP project, reportedly developed by the Shapoorji Pallonji Group.
The fire prompted an extensive emergency response involving around 15 fire engines, ambulances, and personnel from the Navghar police station. Senior police officers oversaw firefighting and evacuation operations.
The incident highlights risks associated with temporary accommodations for construction workers in major urban development sites. Initial reports suggesting thousands of labourers stayed there could not be independently verified, and the exact occupant count was not immediately known.
Authorities confirmed all occupants were evacuated safely while investigations into the fire’s cause and the use and storage of gas cylinders were ongoing at the time of the report.
