At least seven people were killed and 16 others injured in a major fire that broke out on the 18th floor of a residential building in Tardeo area of central Mumbai on Saturday (January 22) morning.
The blaze erupted around 7 am in Kamla building, located opposite Gandhi Hospital at Gowalia Tank, when many of its residents were still asleep, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
“It is a ground plus 20-storey building. The fire broke out on its 18th floor. On being alerted, the fire brigade personnel and police rushed to the spot. Several persons were injured in the incident and they were taken nearby hospitals,” the official said.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar told news agency ANI that six elderly people needed oxygen support and were shifted to the hospital. The fire “is under control but smoke is huge. All people have been rescued,” she added.
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When asked about reports that Reliance and Wockhardt hospitals had denied admission to fire victims, the Mayor said the BMC will look into the complaint.
Out of the seven injured taken to the Nair Hospital, five died, while two others succumbed to their injuries at two other hospitals, one each in Bhatia Hospital and Kasturba Hospital, he added.
At present, 13 people are undergoing treatment at Bhatia Hospital, two at Nair Hospital and one at Kasturba Hospital.
On being alerted, 13 fire engines and seven water jetties were rushed to the building to douse the fire, which was tagged as level-3 (major). The firefighters succeeded in covering the blaze from all sides.
#Mumbai #Fire in Highrise building at #GrantRoad area near #BhatiaHospital. 6 people have been rescued so far. Level 3 fire call. Rescue work happening @mybmc @TV9Bharatvarsh @TV9Marathi pic.twitter.com/Z2y72HjEtT
— Mayuresh Ganapatye (@mayuganapatye) January 22, 2022
“Soon after the fire broke out on the 18th floor, residents started running out with their family members. There are at least six flats on each floor. The blaze engulfed the 18th and 19th floors and some residents were trapped there,” another official said.
According to some residents, the power supply in the building went off after the fire. Many of the residents of the building were asleep when the fire broke out, adding that firefighting operation is still on.