Mumbai Aayakar Bhavan Fire: 28 Rescued As Thick Smoke Engulfs Basement In Churchgate
Mumbai: Atleast 28 people were rescued by the team of Mumbai Fire Brigade after a fire broke out in the basement of Aayakar Bhavan, a ground-plus-six-storey Income Tax office in Churchgate, on Monday afternoon. No injuries had been reported in the incident, fire official said. The fire was reported at Aaykar Bhavan on Maharshi Karve Road, Churchgate, at around 2.01 pm on Monday. The building…
Mumbai Fire Brigade successfully rescued 28 individuals on Monday afternoon after a fire ignited in the basement of Aayakar Bhavan, a six-story Income Tax office situated in Churchgate. The blaze, reported at approximately 2:01 pm, produced thick smoke that engulfed nearly 7,000-8,000 square feet of the basement, affecting electrical wiring, stored documents, paper stocks, scrap materials, and wooden partitions. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Over eight fire engines, along with multiple hoses, were deployed throughout the afternoon to combat the fire. Twenty firefighters with protective gear entered the smoke-filled area, utilizing hose lines, smoke extractors, and broken window panes to ventilate the building and extinguish the flames.
The office, frequented by hundreds of employees and visitors daily, had alerted its occupants via an alarm system, enabling many to evacuate the upper floors safely. However, thick smoke hindered the evacuation process for those trapped inside, necessitating the fire brigade's intervention to rescue them.
Firefighters rescued 15 people from the first three floors via the staircase, while additional five to six individuals were pulled down from the first floor using an Angus ladder. Eight people stranded on the terrace were helped down using a turntable ladder. The heavy smoke presented a significant challenge during the rescue, making navigation difficult, especially for those with respiratory issues. The lift had also been disabled, leaving the staircase as the sole escape route.
Rescue and firefighting operations were temporarily halted due to the heavy traffic on the road outside Churchgate railway station, located opposite Cement House. The exact cause of the fire will be determined following a thorough investigation.
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