Even though away in Lonavala, Tanuj Virwani recounts fire department's three-hour rescue operation after the blaze erupted at the family home in Worli
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 27, 2020)

It was a sleepless night for the Virwanis on Wednesday when they received frantic calls from neighbours informing them that a fire had broken out at their Worli residence. While actor Rati Agnihotri has been stationed in Poland during the Coronavirus lockdown, son Tanuj and husband Anil Virwani were in their Lonavala farmhouse when the incident took place.

Tanuj reveals that a blaze erupted in the 10th storey of the highrise in the small hours of Wednesday. "About 10 people, including some senior citizens, and two dogs were stuck in the A wing penthouse. Initially, the fire engine was only able to reach up to the eighth floor. So, the firefighters broke open our house [in the B wing] to gain access to the [adjacent] penthouse and help people evacuate. Eventually, the entire building was evacuated. Thankfully, there was no casualty and no damage to our apartment," he recounts.

The Worli fire station was alerted a little after 12.30 am and the rescue operation continued till 3.45 am. "I was in Mumbai for a shoot last week and returned to Lonavala after honouring the commitment. It was a disturbing night as sitting here, we couldn't fully understand the gravity of the situation. My father did his best to coordinate with the fire department officials and give them access to our home. He also called the building's chairman to offer assistance." He adds that Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray rushed to the site at 2.30 am to appraise the situation.

Tanuj relayed the turn of events to mother Rati, who is spending the lockdown with her sister. "She panicked on hearing about the fire. My mother won't be able to return to India anytime soon. Though she has procured the necessary permission to travel, she hasn't got the clearance required for her pet dog to travel. My father will head to Mumbai in a few days to see if the house needs fixing."