MUMBAI, Oct 23: Even nearly 20 hours after the fire broke out at the City Central Mall in Mumbai Central on Thursday evening, the fire brigade personnel were still battling to bring the blaze under control. While there was no casualty reported in the fire, at least two fire personnel sustained injuries as about 3,500 persons in nearby buildings evacuated.
Around 300 people were rescued from the basement plus three-storey mall after the fire broke out, an official said.
The fire erupted around 8.50 P.M. on Thursday in a mobile shop on the second floor of the mall, which mainly houses shops for mobile accessories, besides a few other stores. As the fire continued to spread in adjoining shops, the Mumbai Fire Brigade gave a ‘brigade call’ in which fire engines are called from all agencies in the city, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) release said
Around 50 fire fighting vehicles, including 24 fire engines and 16 jumbo tankers were engaged in the fire-fighting at the spot, besides over 250 officers and firemen, it said. The injured firemen were rushed to nearby JJ Hospital, it said, adding their conditions were stable.
The BMC said around 3,500 residents of the 55-floor Orchid Enclave tower adjoining the mall were shifted as a precautionary measure.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar visited the site and reviewed the fire-fighting operation. According to fire brigade officials, the exact cause of the fire was not yet known.
(Manas Dasgupta)