Mira-Bhayander: A portion of a chimney at a civic crematorium in Mira Road collapsed onto a burning funeral pyre on Wednesday morning, triggering panic among mourners.The deceased’s relatives, who were standing close to the pyre during the last rites, had a narrow escape and no injuries were reported.The incident occurred around 11 am at the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) crematorium near Mira Road railway station.The funeral of 70-year-old Girish Shingare, a resident of Poonam Sagar in Mira Road, was underway when a section of the chimney suddenly gave way and crashed onto the burning pyre.The unexpected collapse caused chaos at the crematorium as relatives and others attending the funeral rushed to safety. No one was struck by the falling debris.The incident sparked sharp criticism from opposition parties, with leaders of the MNS and Shiv Sena accusing the civic administration of neglecting the maintenance of public infrastructure. They demanded action against those responsible and warned of an agitation if immediate corrective measures were not taken.MBMC executive engineer Deepak Khambit said the crematorium is slated for renovation and the tendering process is already underway.“The incident occurred while the renovation proposal was being processed. We will carry out temporary repairs to the damaged chimney immediately, while the full-scale renovation will be taken up after the tender process is completed,” he said.
