MUMBAI: Veteran ghazal singer Talat Aziz, his wife and two sons were among five persons hospitalised for suffocation after a fire gutted their duplex apartment in Juhu late Friday night. They were treated at Bharatiya Arogya Nidhi Hospital and discharged Saturday, said civic officials.The fire was reported at 10.56 pm Friday and spread to electrical wiring and installations, sofa and split air-conditioner on the ground floor of the five-storey building where the family has lived since 40 years.Mumbai Fire Brigade swiftly controlled the blaze by 11.58 pm. Police, Adani Electricity and civic ward staff were mobilised. Fire officials are yet to ascertain the source of the blaze.The singer, 70, his wife Bina, 65, who is a painter, and their sons Shayaan, 30, and Adnan, 25, as well as one Sikandar Singh, 45, experienced suffocation.Talat Aziz told TOI, “It was a blazing inferno that erupted suddenly at 11.00 pm Friday. I was watching TV in the hall downstairs while Bina was upstairs. An air conditioner in the hall, which was not even switched on, sparked and emanated fire. Within minutes the blaze spread to the curtains, and blinding black smoke billowed out. I could not see a thing. I kept calling to my wife, fearing for her safety. She ran into the bathroom upstairs, turned on the shower and called for help from the window. A neighbour climbed a ladder and rescued Bina through the window. We were hospitalised for suffocation and took discharge Saturday.” The family will stay in a hotel until the house becomes inhabitable.Aziz said, “I am profusely thankful to the police, fire brigade, ambulance who all arrived promptly and took charge. My neighbours have been so helpful too. We have lost precious belongings including my harmoniums and Bina’s paintings. But I thank Allah that we are safe and sound.”Talat Aziz’s popular songs include ‘Phir chhidi raat’, ‘Zindagi jab bhi’, ‘Tumhin se roshan hai raat meri’, ‘Aaina mujhse meri’ and ‘Kaise sukoon paaoon tujhe dekhne ke ba’ad’.
