84 People Rescued from MTNL Building Engulfed by Fire in Mumbai's Bandra, Oppn Cries Foul Over Graft in Structural Audit

Mumbai: A firefighter suffocated while dousing the level-four fire at MTNL Building in Mumbai's Bandra on Monday. Of the trapped people, 84 are said to be rescued.

The firefighter has been identified as 25-year-old Sagar Datta Salve, who was immediately rushed to Bhabha Hospital. Doctors have stated his condition to be stable.

A massive fire broke out at the MTNL Building around 3:15 pm, prompting fire department to immediately press 14 fire tenders into service.

An official said that fire fighting operations are underway and many are trapped inside the smoke-filled nine-storey building at S V Road in suburban Bandra. The blaze is said to be confined to the third and fourth floors.

A man trapped on the fifth floor of the building (News18)

Fire brigade personnel deployed an aerial ladder and other equipment to evacuate people from the blaze-hit building. The brigade is also taking help of the newly-introduced robot to douse the fire.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ashok Chavan has alleged "large-scale corruption" in fire and structural audits of buildings in Mumbai and asked the Shiv Sena-ruled local civic body to own up its "mismanagement".

Reacting to Monday's blaze in MTNL building in suburban Bandra, the former Maharashtra chief minister said according to reports, the fire audit of the nine-storey structure was done just last year. "If this is true, people need to know why the fire brigade had difficulty in rescuing those trapped. Fire brigade faced difficulties due to the small windows and closed structure of the building. This is a serious issue and its cognisance should be taken," Chavan said.

"Whether its fire audit or structural audit of buildings, recent incidents of fire and building collapse in the city have proved that there is a large-scale corruption. The civic body should own up responsibility of this failure," he said.

A day ago, a person died and another was injured while 13 others had to be rescued when a fire broke out in Colaba's Churchill Chambers.

The deceased had gone to the innermost room of an apartment to protect himself from the fire. One of his neighbours inhaled a lot of smoke and had to be moved to an Intensive Care Unit. The Fire Brigade rescued 13 others using ladders and other methods.

Last week, 13 people were killed when a multi-storey residential building collapsed in Dongri, South Mumbai.