Mumbai fire: Aaditya Thackeray visits Kamala Building; Centre, state announce compensation

Mumbai fire: The blaze on the 19th floor of the highrise erupted around 7am and was brought under control around 12.25pm. Each floor of the highrise has at least six flats. Six succumbed to their injuries while 23 are being treated.

Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday afternoon visited the Kamala Building fire site in Mumbai to check the ground situation after six persons were killed and 23 others were injured in a major fire that broke out on the 19th floor of the residential building. The government will give ₹5 lakh compensation to families that lost their members in the fire, the minister said. The two hospitals which reportedly were refusing treatments have admitted injured, the minister said.

Minister Aaditya Thackeray visited the Kamala Building fire site on Saturday afternoon. 

PM Narendra Modi has announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. The injured would be given ₹50,000, the PMO said.

The blaze erupted around 7am in the morning while many residents were still sleeping. Seven of the injured have been taken to the BMC-run Nair Hospital, where five dies, while another succumbed to the injuries at Kasturba Hospital. 17 others who received injuries have been admitted to Bhatia Hospital and five have been discharged, a civic official said. Among the rest 12, three are in critical condition.

The fire fighting went on past 12 and the blaze was extinguished by 12.20pm.

"Soon after the fire broke out on the 19th floor, residents started running out with their family members. There are at least six flats on each floor. The blaze engulfed the floor and some residents were trapped there," another BMC official said.

“I am shocked and anguished to know nearby hospitals refused admissions to the injured persons, which resulted in more deaths. If it is true then, BMC and State administration should fix the responsibility for these deaths and take action against those who are responsible for the deaths,” Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said.