6 Dead, 23 Injured in Massive Fire at Mumbai High-rise

MUMBAI:
At least six persons were killed and 23 others injured in a major fire that broke out on the 19th floor of a residential building in Tardeo area of central Mumbai on Saturday morning, an official said.

The blaze erupted around 7 am in Sachinam Heights building located opposite Bhatia Hospital at Gowalia Tank, when many of its residents were still asleep, the official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis alleged that nearby hospitals refused to admid the injured persons, which he said resulted in “more deaths”, and sought action against those responsible for the fatalities.

Talking about the incident, the civic official said, “It is a ground plus 20-storey building. The fire broke out on its 19th floor. On being alerted, the fire brigade personnel and police rushed the spot. Several persons were rescued, of them 29 were taken to different nearby hospitals as some of them were injured, while others complained of health problems, like suffocation.”

Seven of the injured were taken to the BMC-run Nair Hospital, where five died, while one more succumbed to injuries at the civic-run Kasturba Hospital, he said, adding 17 injured were admitted to Bhatia Hospital, where five were discharged following treatment, while three of the 12, who are currently undergoing treatment there, are in a critical condition.

One person was admitted to Masina Hospital and the patient’s condition is stable, another one who was admitted to Whockherdt Hospital was discharged. One more patient, who was admitted to H N Reliance Hospital, was also discharged, the official said.

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 blaze was extinguished by 12.20 pm, he said.

“Soon after the fire broke out on the 19th floor, residents started running out with their family members. There are at least six flats on each floor. The blaze engulfed the floor and some residents were trapped there,” another official said.

He added that 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, he said.

The exact cause of the fire is being found out, he said.
In a social media post, Fadnavis, who is Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, said, “I am shocked and anguished to know nearby hospitals refused admissions to the injured persons, which resulted into more deaths. If it is true then, BMC and State administration should fix the responsibility for these deaths and take action against those who are responsible for the deaths.”