At least six people died in a major fire that broke out inside a 20-storeyed residential building in Mumbai this morning.
Another 15 people were also injured in the massive blaze that started around 7 am on the 18th floor of Kamla building opposite Gandhi Hospital at Gowalia Tank in Mumbai’s Tardeo area.
Footage from the scene showed a massive plume of smoke filling the sky, with flames coming out from the building.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar told news agency ANI that six elderly people needed oxygen support and were shifted to the hospital. The fire “is under control but smoke is huge. All people have been rescued,” she added.
She said Reliance and Wockhardt hospitals had denied admission to fire victims when they were rushed there first in the morning. “We will enquire about this”.
On being alerted, the fire brigade personnel and police had rushed to the spot. A civic body official said 13 fire engines and seven water jetties, among others, were involved in the firefighting operation, adding that it was tagged as a level-3 (major) fire.
Officials said the injured were rushed to three nearby hospitals — four people died due to their injuries at Nair Hospital, 1 died at Kasturba Hospital and another patient died at Bhatia Hospital.
BJP leader Priti Gandhi shared a video clip on Twitter from the incident and said, “As usual, excuses will be made, sketchy reasons given & life will go on. Strongest political will required if the city has to survive. As a Mumbaikar, the unaccountability pains!!”
It’s an unfortunate incident, Maharashtra BJP president and MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha said.