Fire breaks out in Byculla residential building, no injuries reported

The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) officials informed that the fire started on the third floor of the Vitthal Niwas Building around 12.15 pm

Mumbai: A level-II fire broke out in a four-storey residential building in Byculla’s neighbourhood Saat Rasta on Wednesday afternoon. The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) officials informed that the fire started on the third floor of the Vitthal Niwas Building around 12.15 pm.

Mumbai, India - March 23, 2022: Fire brigade officials during cooling operation after blaze erupted at 12.10 pm on the third floor of four-storey Vitthal Niwas building at Jacob Circle, Saat Rasta area, Mahalaxmi, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (Photo by Pratik Chorge/Hindustan Times) (Pratik Chorge/HT PHOTO)

As part of the rescue operation, the fire brigade rushed three fire engines and three jumbo tankers to the site. The hour-long operation resulted in dousing the flames at 1:15 pm. The MFB officials said that there were no occupants in the flat from which the fire was reported and because of which, there were no injuries and loss of lives.

“There were occupants in the neighbouring flats who got trapped inside after the fire broke out. The building was entirely engulfed with smoke and visibility became a problem,” said a senior official of the MFB.

The officials maintained that during the rescue operation, five occupants including four senior citizen women and one teenager (male) were evacuated from a second-floor window using rescue ladders and the remaining occupants were evacuated through the staircase of the building. The MFB officials have evacuated nearly 20 occupants of the building during operation.

“The flat in which the fire broke out was shut from inside and we cannot conclude the real reason without any investigation. The flat and all the belongings inside are charred and there is no sign of any evidence for us to carry out an investigation now. We will be recording statements of owners and some of the neighbours tomorrow following which we will be able to ascertain the cause of the fire,” said the official.

The MFB officials also pointed out that Vitthal Niwas is a cessed building of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and in old buildings the procedure of having fire NOCs is not applicable. Hemant Parab, chief fire officer (CFO) said that a detailed investigation of the incident will be carried out by his team.