Mumbai Aayakar Bhavan Fire: 28 Rescued As Thick Smoke Engulfs Basement In Churchgate

Mumbai: Atleast 28 people were rescued by the team of Mumbai Fire Brigade after a fire broke out in the basement of Aayakar Bhavan, a ground-plus-six-storey Income Tax office in Churchgate, on Monday afternoon. No injuries had been reported in the incident, fire official said.

The fire was reported at Aaykar Bhavan on Maharshi Karve Road, Churchgate, at around 2.01 pm on Monday. The building comprises a basement, ground floor and six upper floors. The blaze, which generated thick smoke, spread across nearly 7,000–8,000 sq ft of the basement, affecting electrical wiring and installations, stored records, paper stock, scrap material and wooden partitions.

Over eight fire engines were pressed into service as firefighting operations continued through the afternoon. Twenty firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus entered the smoke-filled premises, using multiple hose lines to contain the blaze. Smoke extractors and broken window panes were used to improve ventilation and clear the building of dense smoke.

The building sees hundreds of employees and visitors every day. Colleagues and the building’s alarm system alerted staff in time, helping many evacuate the upper floors safely, an official said. The lunchtime fire caught many off guard, with most rushing to evacuate, while a few initially mistook it for a minor blaze and continued working.

As the fire intensified, thick smoke made evacuation difficult, prompting the fire brigade to rescue those still trapped inside, an employee said. By the time the severity became apparent, smoke and the spreading fire had made evacuation difficult, prompting the fire brigade to step in and rescue them, said one of the employee.

Firefighters safely evacuated 15 people from the first three floors through the staircase. A further five to six people were rescued from the first floor using an Angus ladder, while eight people stranded on the terrace were brought down with the help of a turntable ladder. "The heavy smoke posed a major challenge during the evacuation, with some employees finding it difficult to navigate the staircase, especially those with breathing problems. The lift was also out of service, leaving the staircase as the only viable escape route," said fire official.

Meanwhile, police, Income Tax officials and security personnel searched the premises to check for any missing or injured employees. Traffic was also halted on the road outside Churchgate railway station, opposite Cement House, as rescue and firefighting operations continued. The exact cause of the fire will be determined after a detailed investigation, an official said.

11 rescued in fire at Kandivali......

Eleven people were safely rescued after a fire broke out at Abhirai Hotel near Kandivali Station Road around 4.14am on Monday. The blaze, involving electrical wiring, wooden furniture and combustible materials, smoke-logged the basement-plus-four-storey commercial building and affected parts of the adjacent temporary fruit stall and fourth-floor premises. Firefighters evacuated all 11 occupants through the staircase and extinguished the fire by 6.07am. No injuries were reported.

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