A fire broke out at a shop inside Mumbai's Churchgate railway station on Wednesday, prompting a swift response from emergency services. The blaze sparked panic among commuters, however, the emergency services quickly intervened, preventing the blaze from spreading further.
Four fire engines were dispatched to the scene and brought the situation under control within minutes. Authorities confirmed that no injuries or casualties were reported. The fire broke out at around 5 pm on Thursday, after which the Mumbai fire brigade rushed its teams and firefighting equipment to the spot.
The Western Railway said nobody was injured in the fire, which was controlled within five minutes. It also said that the suburban services at the station remained unaffected.
Visuals from the scene showed thick smoke billowing from the affected shop as police personnel swiftly evacuated commuters from the station premises. Passengers were seen rushing out as police personnel cordoned off the area and firefighters carrying out efforts to douse the flames.
Officials said that the fire at the shop was doused within a few minutes and efforts were being made to ascertain the cause of the fire and the extent of damage.
“One could barely see the indicators as the entire place was filled with smoke, which was also billowing out of the Churchgate station. Police urged commuters to stay away from the area,” a commuter said, according to PTI.
One of the busiest suburban stations of the Western Railway, thousands of commuters board local trains from the Churchgate terminus in the evening.
Later, the WR said in a statement that a “minor” fire incident was reported at one of the stalls at the concourse of the station. The alert staff used fire extinguishers and controlled it within five minutes, it said.While the fire was confined to the shop selling cakes and other bakery products, railway staffers on the first floor of the six-storey building vacated as a precautionary measure, the statement added.