At least 15 people were killed and 21 others hurt when a major fire broke out in a pub in the Kamla Mills Compound in Mumbai early on Friday. The compound is also home to news channels Times Now, ET Now and Mirror Now. While their transmissions were interrupted due the fire, no injuries or deaths have been reported from the media houses.
The blaze was reported around 12.30 a.m. from a bistro The Mojo, a rooftop restaurant pub in The Kamla Trade House and quickly spread to another surrounding pub and a restaurant, said an official of BMC Disaster Control.
More than 12 fire tenders were rushed to fight the blaze which was brought under control around 6.30 a.m.
While the majority of the victims are reported to have perished on the spot, the firemen could rescue 10 others safely from the leaping flames. The injured have been admitted to the KEM Hospital and other hospitals for treatment. Among the dead were 12 women.
The entire pub and the surrounding complex was full of patrons including many women and tourists thronging the fashionable area to unwind.
Mumbai Police have booked the owner of the pub for negligence and other charges for the fire, suspected to be triggered by an electric short-circuit.
Further details are awaited.
Massive fire atop a building in #KamalaMills, Lower Parel, #Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/QcsVn6EIke
— Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) December 28, 2017
Praying for the safety of everyone who are in around #kamalamills #LowerParel as there is a major fire in one of the bldngs. #kamalamillsfire
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) December 28, 2017
#KamalaMills fire. Scary 5-floor tall flames. Could feel the heat through glass exterior, 20m away pic.twitter.com/zTHb8SLI41
— Dramatical Error (@nigel_pais) December 28, 2017
The #KamalaMills fire started at 1 Above. I was there and barely made it out alive. Some were not so lucky. Praying for the injured and the deceased. It was the scariest thing I have ever survived!
— Dr Sulbha KG Arora (@SulbhaArora) December 28, 2017
Praying for the safety of everyone who was at #KamalaMills when the fire broke out. Mojo’s bistro was owned and run by a school-mate who just got married. Hope they are fine.
— Akshaye Rathi (@akshayerathi) December 28, 2017
This is bloody insane.. #kamalamills stay safe pic.twitter.com/kqQWbc7QCf
— Akshay (@OpenPatel) December 28, 2017
UNBELIEVABLE! Was damn lucky to notice this and raise the alarm in time #KamalaMills #Fire pic.twitter.com/Yx2Dt9qLGB
— Dramatical Error (@nigel_pais) December 28, 2017
#KamalaMills #Fire| Restaurants, pubs being evacuated in Kamala Mills. Level 2 fire, say fire officials pic.twitter.com/7Rwh4p8wYI
— Mumbai Mirror (@MumbaiMirror) December 28, 2017
We talk of dingy hotels in Kurla catching fire & blame wrong building permits, no fire safety. #kamalamills is one of the posh locations with world class restaurants. What happened to fire safety? #KamalaMillsFire
— ArchanaShukla (@archanajsr) December 28, 2017
Hope authorities wake up now. #KamalaMills was a disaster waiting to happen. This is what happens when human greed is way beyond value for human life. Going to that compound is a nightmare. Sometimes you get stuck while walking!!!
— Anuj Singhal (@_anujsinghal) December 29, 2017
IANS inputs