Shivani Gandhi, 53, who sustained 95 per cent burns after a fire broke out at her catering shop in Kandivli on Wednesday morning, wasn’t even supposed to be in the city. She usually plans a visit to Shrinathji in Rajasthan around this time every year, but owing to unusually heavy catering orders for Navratri this year, she dropped out of the plan, and her husband, Mitul Gandhi, went ahead without her.

A resident of Sabarmati Society in Ashok Nagar area, Kandivli East, Shivani lives with her husband Mitul and two daughters. She is currently admitted to the Airoli Burns Centre in critical condition. Shivani’s family told mid-day that she started her catering business 14 years ago and inspired many women by providing them with employment opportunities. A close relative and neighbour, Dita Faujdar, told mid-day, “Shivani is a close relative, and we are very worried about her condition. Every year, Shivani and her husband, Mitul, visit Shrinathji during Navratri. This year, she told us she couldn’t go because of the workload.”