Mumbai fire: In a tragic incident, as many as nine people suffered from suffocation after a fire broke out in a residential building in Mumbai on Thursday. According to officials, the incident occurred at a 24-storey residential building in the Byculla area. The blaze erupted at 3.40 am on the third floor of the building located in New Hind Mill Compound at MHADA colony in the Ghodapdeo area of Byculla where the government has given flats to people, mainly mill workers.
The nine people, including five senior citizens, have been admitted to the civic-run KEM Hospital and kept under observation. They have been identified at Lakshmi Raut (70), Archana More (75), Parvatibai Tambole (85), Lata Tambole (67), Pranay Tambole (28), Archana Nilesh More, Mumtaz (60), Abhish (36) and Vishal Vijay More (34).
At least 135 people were rescued
The fire was confined to the electric meter cabin, wiring, cable, scrap material in the electric duct, garbage and material in the garbage duct from the 1st to 24th floor of the building, a civic official said. He said at least 135 people were rescued from different floors of the building.
It took almost 4 hours to douse fire
Out of them, 25 were evacuated from the terrace, 30 from a refuge area on the 15th floor, and 80 people from a refuge area on the 22nd floor of the building. Five fire engines and three water tankers along with other fire brigade vehicles were rushed to the spot after receiving the call and the blaze was doused by 7.20 am, a fire brigade official said.
A civic official said that the cause of the fire is not yet known, but a short-circuit is suspected to have triggered it.
(With PTI inputs)
ALSO READ: Mumbai: Fire breaks out in 11-storey building in Vile Parle, at least one dead
