Mumbai fire brigade personnel are controlling the fire in a shopping mall 12 hours after the fire broke out there, including as some 3,500 people from an adjoining building were evacuated, civic sources said on Friday. A large fire broke out at the City Center Mall in central Mumbai at 8:50 p.m. Thursday. Two firefighters were injured while controlling the blaze, sources said.
About 300 people were rescued from the basement plus a three-story shopping mall after the fire broke out, an official said. A statement from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that the Mumbai Fire Brigade has made a “brigade call” in which fire trucks from all city agencies are called.
About 50 firefighting vehicles, including 24 fire trucks and 16 giant tanker trucks, are involved in fighting fires at the site, in addition to more than 250 officers and firefighters, it said. A firefighter suffered minor injuries to his right hand during the firefighting operation and was rushed to nearby JJ Hospital, he said, adding that his condition is stable.
The fire broke out in a mobile store on the second floor of the mall, which is mainly home to mobile accessory stores, in addition to a few other stores. The BMC said that about 3,500 residents of the 55-story Orchid Enclave tower adjoining the mall were moved as a precaution.
A police officer said about 300 people were evacuated from the mall when the fire broke out. The fire was initially classified as level 1 (minor) but was upgraded to level 3 at 10.45 pm and level 4 at 2.30 am, after the flames spread to other parts of the building.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar visited the site and reviewed the firefighting operation. According to fire department officials, the exact cause of the fire was not yet known.
Earlier on Thursday, a fire broke out at a clothing factory in Kurla in Mumbai. It was sprayed after two hours.
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