A massive fire broke out in a nine-storey building in Breach Candy in the early hours of Wednesday. Fire officials said that they will be taking action against the building as the firefighting equipment in it was not operational.
According to fire officers, the blaze, which broke out in Dharam Villa, was reported to the control room at 12.36 a.m. Fire tenders from Gowalia Tank fire station were rushed to the spot.
“Since the fire spread rapidly, assistance was sought from fire stations in Byculla, Bhindi Bazaar, Neman Wada and Mandovi. Eight fire engines and six water tankers were deployed and the firefighting operation was called off at 5.30 a.m.,” a fire brigade official said.
Eyewitnesses said the fire broke out on the fourth floor and spread to the upper floors within minutes. “My wife works as a nurse in the opposite building. The fire erupted from the fourth floor and I ran to see it, the minute I heard about the blaze. The staircase was consumed by flames and a huge mob had gathered in the area by then,” Mukesh Sadvejar, an eyewitness, said.
Fire officers said vehicles parked on both sides of the lane posed a hurdle to them. “Due to car parking on the road, our vehicles faced difficulties in reaching the spot. All vehicles had to be towed away to gain access to the building,” the officer said.
Officials with the Gamdevi police said that the building was occupied by members of the Jijodiya family, who stay on floors above the fourth floor. They said the family included elderly members as well. “Before we arrived at the spot, the domestic helpers had taken the aged downstairs through the lift. We carefully evacuated the others through the stairway,” said, R.V. Bhosale, Assistant Divisional Fire Officer, Sub-division 2.
He added, “The firefighting process got trickier as the fire was confined to the passageway and staircase. It consumed the electric duct, common passage, lift lobby, electric wiring, doors, windows and wooden panelling and a flat on the floor. We entered the building through the stairway on the lower floors with hose pipes. Attempts were also made to enter it through ladders and neighbouring buildings.”
Two firemen were injured in the incident. “While one of our men slipped on the stairway, another suffered suffocation. Both were rushed to BYL Nair Hospital. They were discharged after primary treatment,” Mr. Bhosale said.
Prabhat Rahangdale, chief fire officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade, said the building did not have a firefighting system in place. “Buildings must ensure that the fire-fighting equipment is in working condition. We are going to disconnect electricity and water supply to the building and action will be taken,” he said.
Mr Bhosale added, “The firefighting equipment comprises extinguishers and water pipes. In this building, this system was not operational. Every six months, the occupants need to obtain a B-Certificate, which has to be issued by the agency that provides the equipment and send it to the fire brigade. We will be issuing a notice under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Measures Act. Meanwhile, we have declared the building dangerous.”
