Navi Mumbai: A major fire broke out at Sanjeevan Deep shelter home for paraplagics in sector 18, Airoli on Tuesday early morning around 3 am. However, there were no casualities reported, as around 13 inmates accomodated at the shelter home were evacuated before the fire spread to the premises. The fire breakout caused severe damage to the shelter home wherein the beds, sewing machines and wheel chairs were charred in the blaze and three pet cats died. Anupam Negi, who runs the project at the shelter home for employment of disabled people said, “I have been contributing for help at the shelter home, despite suffering from spinal injury in 2011. I am wheel-chair bound. When the fire broke out, there were 13 inmates at the shelter home. Unfortunately, three pet cats died in the fire. It is suspected that some miscreants had deliberately ignited the fire near the shelter home and it spread to the premises. A similar incident had occurred last year, but the fire was not major. Hence, a complaint has been lodge at Rabale police station for conducting a probe to nab the miscreants.”Negi said, “As of now, the shelter home is in dire need of basic amenities like daily food packets for 15–20 people at the shelter home, drinking water bottles, 20 hospital beds, mattresses, pillows, bedsheets along with five table fans, ceiling fans, 20 wheelchairs and 8 walkers. Some NGOs and well wishers have come forward to provide basic amenities. NMMC authorities have also been appealed to provide the basic amenities.”
