Around 3500 people from an adjoining building to a mall in Mumbai were evacuated on Friday after a major fire broke out at the shopping complex.
A major fire broke out at the City Centre mall in south Mumbai on Thursday night, but no casualties were reported. The blaze erupted in Mumbai Central's City Center Mall around 8:53 pm.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The mall mainly has shops selling mobile phone accessories. The fire was initially categorised as level 1 (minor) but it was upgraded to level 5 when flames spread to other parts of the complex.
Mumbai fire brigade personnel are engaged in controlling the blaze at a mall 12 hours after the fire broke out, even as around 3500 people from an adjoining building were evacuated. The BMC said around 3500 residents of the 55-floor Orchid Enclave tower adjoining the mall were shifted as a precautionary measure. According to a report by NDTV, residents of the 55-storey building adjacent to the mall were taken to a nearby ground for their safety.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar visited the site and reviewed the firefighting operation. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) release said the Mumbai Fire Brigade has given a 'brigade call' in which fire engines are called from all agencies in the city.
Around 50 fire fighting vehicles, including 24 fire engines and 16 jumbo tankers are engaged in the fire fighting at the spot, besides over 250 officers and firemen, it said. Two fireman sustained injuries during the fire fighting operation and were rushed to nearby JJ Hospital, it said, adding both were both treated and discharged.
(Inputs from Agencies)
