Mumbai: A fire broke out at a timber godown in Govandi on Saturday morning, prompting the mobilisation of emergency services. The incident was reported at 8:40 am by the city police control room, following which firefighting and emergency teams were rushed to the spot.
According to the information received, the fire occurred at a timber godown located at Plot No. 2 on PL Lokhande Marg in Chembur Janta Market, near Kuba Masjid in New Gautam Nagar, Govandi.
After reaching the location and assessing the situation, the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) declared the incident a Level-I fire at 8:56 am.
Following the report of the blaze, multiple agencies were mobilised to handle the situation. Teams from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Mumbai Fire Brigade were deployed at the site to carry out firefighting operations. Personnel from Mumbai Police were also present, along with an ambulance from the 108 emergency service and ward staff.
Officials confirmed that no injuries had been reported in connection with the incident so far.
This news comes in a day after the Maharashtra government has directed all civic corporations and special planning authorities across the state to deploy High Rise Fire Fighting Vehicles (HRFFVs) to tackle fires in tall buildings.
A circular issued by the Urban Development Department (UDD) on Thursday mandates that authorities approving building plans above 70 metres must ensure the availability of HRFFVs. The directive also requires civic corporations to station at least one such vehicle at every fire station.
The State Director of the Fire and Emergency Services Directorate has been asked to submit a compliance report detailing the steps taken by civic bodies and planning authorities.
According to the UDD, several cities in Maharashtra now have buildings exceeding 100 metres in height. While national standards prescribe a response time of five minutes in cities and 15 minutes in rural areas, narrow roads and heavy traffic often extend response times beyond 20 minutes.
Officials noted that conventional firefighting systems often prove inadequate in high-rise buildings, as pumps on standard fire engines cannot supply water above 100 metres.
Currently, 11 civic corporations, including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, approve building plans exceeding 70 metres. However, apart from Mumbai, no other civic body currently has firefighting engines capable of tackling fires in buildings above that height, sources said.
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