Fire breaks out in Mumbai high-rise building; 135 people rescued

Mumbai: A fire broke out in a 24-storey residential building in Mumbai on Thursday following which at least 135 people were safely rescued from there, civic officials said.

The blaze erupted at 3.40 am on the third floor of the building located in New Hind Mill Compound at MHADA colony in Ghodapdeo area where government has given flats to people, mainly mill workers, they said.

The fire was confined to the electric meter cabin, wiring, cable, scrap material in the electric duct, garbage and material in garbage duct from 1st to 24th floor of the building, a civic official said.

He said at least 135 people were safely rescued from different floors of the building.

Out of them, 25 were evacuated from the terrace, 30 from a refuge area on the 15th floor, and 80 people from a refuge area on the 22nd floor of the building, he said.

Five fire engines and three water tankers along with other fire brigade vehicles were rushed to the spot after receiving the call and the blaze was doused by 7.20 am, a fire brigade official said.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, but a short-circuit could have triggered it, the civic official said.