Massive Fire at Mumbai’s City Center Mall, 3,500 Residents Evacuated From Next Building

Mumbai: Firefighting operations are currently underway at City Centre Mall in Nagpada area in Mumbai where a masssive fire broke out Thursday night at 8:53 PM. At least 24 fire engines, 16 jumbo tankers and 250 fire brigade personnel are at the spot trying to control the blaze. Speaking to reporters, a fire brigade confirmed that around 250-300 people were present inside the mall when the mishap happened, however, all of them were rescued safely and no injuries were reported.

Two firemen were injured; and around 3,500 people from a neighbouring 55-storey building named Orchid Enclave were evacuated early Friday after a fire in a neighbouring mall escalated to level 5.

The fire initially broke out on the second floor around 8.53 pm Thursday, which has shops of mobiles, printers, stationery, and furniture. It later escalated to level 3 and then level 5, following which more support from the fire brigade was called in at 2:41am Friday.

The massive fire continues to rage more than 12 hours after it started on Thursday evening and was classified as a level-5 blaze or a brigade call, in which fire engines are called from all agencies in the city.

Since it’s a glass facade building, dousing the fire is proving to be a challenge, fire officials said. Shards of glass, concrete and POP are falling off and bursting out due to the fire, they added.

Mumbai mayor Kishori Kishori Pednekar, MLA Amin Patel, chairman of the standing committee of the corporation Yashwant Jadhav, and additional municipal commissioner (West Suburbs) Suresh Kakani paid visit late to the site late last night, the BMC said.