The fire brigade got a call around about the blaze at the government-run hospital located at the busy locality of Marol in suburban Andheri, the official from the city civic body's disaster management cell said told the news agency PTI. At least 10 fire tenders, 15 water tankers and other specialised equipment were rushed to battle the blaze and those trapped were taken out via ladders from the third and fourth floors.
Of the injured patients and visitors, 15 were admitted in Cooper Hospital. Apart from Cooper Hospital, those injured were taken to different hospitals in the city. 40 persons were admitted at the Holy Spirit Hospital, 23 in P Thackeray Trauma Hospital and 30 in Seven Hills hospital.
The deceased are yet to be identified, the official said, adding the cause of the fire was not yet known, said the official of the Disaster Management Cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
"The cause of the fire is not known yet. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is responsible for the fire audits. Whether they carried out fire audits or not, that will be investigated," Mumbai Mayor V Mahadeshwar said.
Thick dark clouds of smoke were seen billowing from long distances in the suburbs and the rescue operations resulted in massive evening peak-hour traffic jams on the busy Andheri thoroughfare connecting north-south and eastern Mumbai. Chief of Fire Brigade department of the BMC P S Rahangdale said smoke engulfed the entire building and fire brigade personnel were searching all floors to see if any patient or visitor was still trapped. He said the fire was confined to the third floor of the structure from where doctors, nurses and patients were rescued.