Doctors at the KEM hospital who treated the victims of the Mumbai pub fire said most of the 14 deaths were caused by asphyxiation and inhaling of the poisonous carbon monoxide gas due to lack of ventilation and proper exit points in the rooftop restaurant.
“Going by the injuries sustained by the victims and the post mortem reports of the dead, most of the deaths were caused due to inhaling poisonous carbon monoxide gas,” Rajesh Gere of the Forensic Wing of KEM Hospital said.
“It seems that the victims were confined to a small space with no ventilation or proper exit points,” he added.
Meanwhile, Avinash Supe, the Dean of KEM Hospital said that 14 dead bodies were brought to the hospital at around 1.15 am along with 12 injured people who had 3 to 30 per cent superficial burns.
“Post mortem of all 14 dead bodies was done and the injured were treated. Now all of them have either gone home or to some other hospital,” said Supe.
At least 14 died while 21 others were hurt as major fire broke out in a pub in the Kamla Mills Compound early on Friday.
The blaze was reported around 12.30 am from a bistro The Mojo, a rooftop restaurant pub in The Kamla Trade House and quickly spread to another surrounding pub and a restaurant, said an official of BMC Disaster Control.
More than 12 fire tenders were rushed to fight the blaze which was brought under control around 6.30 am.
While the majority of the victims are reported to have perished on the spot, the firemen could rescue 10 others safely from the leaping flames. The injured have been admitted to the KEM Hospital and other hospitals for treatment.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an in-depth enquiry into the incident while President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths.