A major fire broke out in a commercial godown in Triveni nagar at Pathanwadi area of Malad East on Friday evening. The fire was reported by the local residents at around 5.52 pm.
According to the local residents, the fire brigade team could not the spot even an hour after residents reported the fire to the local fire station and fire control room.
However, fire brigade officials said that the delay in reaching the spot was not one hour as claimed by the residents. "There was a delay by around 15-20 minutes. It took time for US to reach the spot due to sewage holes dug up on the approach road," said a fire fighter on the spot.
The fire kept spreading rapidly and so the fire brigade had to evacuate people from the neighborhood. According to fire brigade officials on the spot no casualties were reported during the incident.
"The fire is under control. We are in the process of covering it from all side and soon begin cooling operation at the site," said S A Kale, chief fire officer of Mumbai Fire Brigade.
Watch the video of the incident here:
As per the report issued by the BMC disaster management unit, the blaze was confined to the stock of wooden furniture, plywood in an area of about 7000 to 8000 square feet in the ground plus one story structure.
Initially it was declared as a level 1 (minor) fire, and within 15 minutes the fire brigade escalated the call to level 2 (major) fire.
Firefighting operations are still on while seven fire engines and six Jumbo water tankers are pressed into operation.
According to disaster management unit of BMC, the actual cause of fire is yet to be ascertained.
