Mumbai mall fire: 2 firefighters injured, 3500 people evacuated from next building

MUMBAI: Some 3,500 people adjacent to a mall in Mumbai were evacuated and two firefighters were injured during a rescue operation after a fire broke out at the shopping complex on Thursday (October 22) evening. Thick smoke has engulfed the area where the fire broke out. 

At least 24 fire trucks are at the site and some 250 firefighters are at the spot, working to extinguish the fire. 

Firemen evacuated around 3,500 people from 55-floor adjoining building to the mall as a precautionary measure. Almost 200-300 people were present inside the premises, and all of them were rescued safely by fire brigade officials. 

According to reports, the fire broke out at the City Centre mall in south Mumbai at around 8:30 pm on Thursday. It been over 12 hours and the fire is yet to be brought under the control, said an official. The fire has spread to the second and third floors of the building. The road outside the mall has been closed for vehicular movement.

According to fire brigade officials, the exact cause of the fire was not yet known. Locals said that the mall mainly houses shops selling mobile phone accessories. 

The fire was initially categorised as level 1 (minor) but was upgraded to level-3 (major) at around 10.45 pm when flames spread to other parts of the complex. It was later upgraded to level-5 and the Mumbai fire brigade has declared this brigade call. This means that help has been sought from HPCL, BPCL, BPT. So far, there is no news of anyone being trapped inside the mall.