A major fire incident unfolded at the Heera Panna Mall situated in the suburban area of Oshiwara, Mumbai, on Friday afternoon, causing smoke inhalation issues for eight people, including four firefighters, news agency PTI reported citing officials. As per the report a total of 14 people were successfully rescued from the scene.
The blaze, categorized as a 'Level 3' fire, commenced within the mall's vicinity close to the Oshiwara police station at approximately 3:10 pm. Firefighting operations persisted for several hours until the fire was finally brought under control at 7:40 pm. A total of 25 fire brigade vehicles, including 12 fire engines, were deployed to combat the intense flames, according to reports.
The purported visuals of the fire incident also surfaced on social media.
Among those rescued from the four-story building were 14 individuals, including a woman, who were safely evacuated. Regrettably, four firefighters encountered smoke inhalation issues during their firefighting efforts and were subsequently hospitalized.
The injured firefighters were identified as Sandip Maruti Patil, Raju Uttam Shingankar, Yogesh Kondawar, and Sandip More from the Goregaon fire station. Patil and Shingarkar were rushed to the civic-run Cooper Hospital, while Kondawar was transported to the civic-run Trauma Care Hospital. Sandip More received treatment at Kokilaben Hospital and was later discharged, the report said.
The fire primarily confined itself to electrical wiring and installations within approximately a dozen shops located on the mall's second and third floors, according to the report. The incident generated thick black smoke, visible from a considerable distance.
Initially categorized as a Level 2 fire, the situation was later upgraded to Level 3 around 3:40 pm, denoting a major fire. The determination of these levels is based on factors such as the fire's intensity, the combustible materials on-site, and the overall challenges faced in extinguishing it.
After a fire broke out last week, over 50 people were rescued from various floors of a 12-storey building in Kurla-west. The incident occurred in a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) building across the street from Kohinoor Hospital.
According to BMC's disaster management, the fire was contained to electrical wiring, scrap materials, and other items in the building's electrical duct from the ground to the 12th floor. According to the BMC, 43 residents were affected by suffocation, with 39 being taken to the civic-run Rajawadi Hospital and the remaining four being taken to Kohinoor Hospital, according to PTI.