Mumbai: Blaze at high-rise, fire brigade staff also fights poor design

Thanks to the jammed glass windows in the cement concrete structure, fire-fighters had to struggle for more than two hours to douse the fire that broke out at a seven-storey commercial building, Business Park, off the Western Express Highway in Andheri (East) on Wednesday.

Thanks to the jammed glass windows in the cement concrete structure, fire-fighters had to struggle for more than two hours to douse the fire that broke out at a seven-storey commercial building, Business Park, off the Western Express Highway in Andheri (East) on Wednesday. No injuries were reported.

The fire originated on the second floor of the commercial building, completely destroying the lottery office on the floor.

Four fire engines, four water tankers, one ambulance and one turn-table ladder had to be sent to the spot.

“Almost all occupants were out of the building before we reached. Only two people were stuck on the sixth floor staircase and were evacuated safely,” said a fire brigade official, on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to the media. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

“Fire-fighting equipment such as extinguishers and fire alarms were in working condition. So the fire did not spread to the other floors. But bad glass cabin designs that trapped the smoke inside and jammed the window panes made the operation a little difficult,” said the official.

“We evacuated the building as soon as the fire alarm started ringing. We used the hydrant installed outside the building to douse the fire, till the time the fire brigade officials reached the spot,” said an employee of an advertising agency in the building.