MUMBAI, India: Fire swept through a six-storey residential building Friday, leaving at least six dead and another 38 injured in Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital, a fire official said.
Ashok Tarapade, the fire officer, revealed that it took eight fire engines a painstaking three hours to quell the flames in the Goregaon West district. The rescue operation has concluded, with the injured now receiving treatment at two local hospitals.
Initial media reports suggest that the fire originated in ground-floor shops, with smoke rapidly spreading across multiple floors. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. The Hindustan Times reported that the building, erected in 2006 to accommodate individuals relocated from a Mumbai slum, lacked adequate firefighting equipment, as highlighted by Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar.
Ambulgekar further explained that the smoke permeated the building through a lift duct. This tragic incident underscores a broader issue in India, where lax adherence to building regulations and safety standards by builders and residents contributes to frequent fires. In 2022, a major fire in a four-story commercial building in New Delhi claimed the lives of at least 27 people. In 2019, an electrical short circuit triggered a fire in a New Delhi building, resulting in the loss of 43 lives.
