India: Man falls to death in Mumbai tower blaze
30-year-old holds onto ledge of balcony in bid to save his life, slips and falls to death
NEW DELHI: A fire broke out in a 64-story luxury apartment building in Mumbai in western India on Friday, a fire official said.
A 30-year-old man who held onto a ledge of a balcony in a desperate attempt to save his life on his 19-storey flat loses grip and falls in a video of the incident that was.
Television images showed heavy black smoke billowing into the sky from the 19th floor apartment on Curry Road in south Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, who has reached the location, said that many people have been safely evacuated from the tower.
“The fire brigade reached as soon as the news of the fire was received. Many people have been pulled out. So many people have been rescued and the efforts are still on. One man jumped off the building in panic. We can’t say that the fire fighting team failed in this. Please don’t spread rumours,” Pednekar said.
The official said 16 fire engines were trying to extinguish the blaze. The official in Mumbai’s central fire control room declined to give his name because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media.
A majority of the residents managed to evacuate themselves, including several senior citizens and children, though two persons are feared trapped inside.
Fifteen people were rescued, fire officer Pardhi said. The fire has been brought under control, but the rescue work was continuing, said Pardhi, who uses one name.
Kailash Aggarwal, the building owner, said there are 400 apartments in the building and all residents were accounted for.
The cause of the blaze, tentatively believed to be due to a short-circuit, is being probed and the building reportedly has all fire-safety measures in place, said the residents.
“Our fire brigade officials reached here as soon as they information at 11:55 am. By then the fire had reached the 20th floor. The person who jumped from the building has died. There were other people in the building, but they were saved. An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the cause of the fire. Action will be taken against the culprits,” BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal said.
The Level Three fire broke out at Avighna park apartment, Curry Road around 12 noon the Mumbai Fire Department.
In August, a fire killed eight coronavirus patients at a hospital in Ahmedabad, a key city in Gujarat state. In December 2018, a late-night fire in a Mumbai restaurant killed 15 people.