Bhatkal woman tragically killed in fire accident at residential building in Mangaluru

Mangaluru:28 November 2023 (Bhatkallys News Bureau)  A tragic incident was reported in Mangaluru as a fire engulfed a residential flat on the twelfth floor of a seventeen-storied building in Attavar, resulting in the death of Zareena Shaheen Kola (57) from Bhatkal. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday around 4 o'clock..

Zareena Kola, who had recently arrived in Mangalore from Dubai for medical treatment with her husband Abdullah Kola, was staying in her son-in-law Shayan Damudi's flat along with her two daughters. The fire originated in the hall of the flat at night, causing smoke to spread rapidly. Zareena Kola, believed to be in the bathroom at the time, succumbed to suffocation.

Shayan Damudi, who was in Bhatkal during the incident, received an alert from his wife about the fire. The entire flat was filled with smoke, trapping everyone inside. Shayan quickly informed friends in the residential tower, who bravely opened the flat door with an alternate key. They managed to rescue Mr. Abdullah Kola and the two daughters, but Mrs. Kola had already passed away.

Fahad Shabandri, a member of Bhatkal Muslim Jamaat in Mangalore, played a crucial role in the rescue. Describing the challenging scene, he recounted how the entire hall was filled with smoke, making it difficult to enter. Despite the obstacles, they successfully pulled out Abdullah, who was unconscious in one bedroom, and the two trapped women from another room.

A team from Bhatkal Muslim Jamaat Mangaluru, including Arshad Mohtisham, Ashraf Sada, Sawood Mohtisham, Moulana Dawood, and others, came together to assist the family and their relatives with paperwork, hospitalization, and other matters.

Abdullah is currently hospitalized at AJ Hospital, where he is in the ICU due to heavy smoke inhalation, but his condition is reported to be stable, according to Ashraf Sada, an active member of the Bhatkal Muslim Jamaat Mangaluru. The two other women have also received medical attention at a private hospital.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, and initial speculation about a mobile battery explosion was dismissed as there was no mobile in the hall. The fire resulted in the burning and destruction of the aquarium, furniture, including the sofa, and other belongings.

After completing the necessary paperwork, the body of the deceased will be transported to Bhatkal Hanifabad. A case in this regard has been registered at Mangalore police station