Massive fire breaks out at Mumbai high-rise; 6 dead, several injured

Mumbai, Jan 22: At least six dead and 15 people were injured in a major fire that erupted in a multi-storey building near Bhatia Hospital in Mumbai early morning on Saturday.

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 erupted around 7 am in Kamla building located opposite Gandhi Hospital at Gowalia Tank, the official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

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.

Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday afternoon visited the Kamala Building fire site in Mumbai to check the ground situation after six persons were killed. He announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to families that lost their members in the fire.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the PMO 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."