Mumbai: A fire broke out in the basement of the seven-storey Income Tax Office building at Churchgate in south Mumbai Monday afternoon, prompting evacuation of several people using the staircase and specialised ladders, officials said.
“An inquiry is going on with the police, Income Tax officers and security staff regarding missing or injured persons,” Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said in a statement.
The building houses offices of various Income Tax departments, along with the CBI. The basement also houses a cooperative bank for Income Tax employees, which is currently celebrating its centenary.
The entire building, including the basement, was smoke-logged after the blaze erupted at around 2 pm.
Due to the central air-conditioning system, the smoke spread rapidly, officials said, adding that Fire Brigade personnel subsequently broke the window panes to release the smoke.
According to the fire brigade, 15 people were rescued from the first, second and third floors and safely brought to the ground floor via the staircase. Another five to six people were rescued from the first floor using an Angus ladder, while eight people who had taken shelter on the terrace were brought down with the help of a turntable ladder.
A BMC official said the Mumbai Fire Brigade declared the blaze a level-II fire, indicating a more serious incident, at around 2.45 pm. At least eight fire engines and several other firefighting vehicles were deployed at the spot.
An Income Tax employee, who did not wish to be named, said he was having lunch on the fifth floor when they heard chaos outside after the fire broke out. As the building quickly filled with smoke, they escaped through the rear of the building.
Citing information received from Income Tax officials, Assistant Police Commissioner Nilesh Bagul said around 1,800 employees work in the building.
He added that most of the people inside escaped unhurt. Mumbai Fire Brigade personnel rescued several others, including women, using ladders from the first floor and terrace.
According to fire brigade personnel, the building has a central air-conditioning system, and all the windows were therefore shut. This caused smoke to spread rapidly throughout the building.
The basement, which contains strong rooms and stored material, was completely smoke-logged. Fire brigade personnel subsequently broke the window panes to release the smoke.
As per BMC officials, the fire was confined to electrical wiring and installations, records stored in cabins, scrap material, discarded records, paper stock, wooden partitions and other materials over an area of approximately 7,000 to 8,000 sq ft in the basement.
Firefighting operations are being carried out using two high-pressure lines, three large hose lines and four small hose lines from eight fire engines. Firefighters are using 20 breathing apparatus sets, while ventilation is being carried out with smoke extractors and by breaking the glass panes of the windows.
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