Mumbai: 60 structures gutted in Byculla fire, fireman & resident injured

A major fire gutted almost 60 structures, including several manufacturing units of shoes and bags, scrap godowns, shops and residential structures in Sankli street, Megharaj Shetty Marg, Badalpur Chawl, office in South Mumbai. 

The fire sparked off late Tuesday night in one of the manufacturing units, spreading to other adjoining units and residential structures. According to the preliminary information, a garment workshop caught fire first. Due to electric wiring, installation, household articles, LPG cylinders the fire spread quickly. As a result, three LPG cylinder blasts occurred, making it difficult for the firemen to control the fire. Two LPG cylinder leakages were spotted and stopped.

Public nuisance and parked vehicles on both sides of the road caused difficulties to firemen in reaching the incident spot smoothly.

Five fire brigades engines were sent to the spot. However, as the fire started spreading more fire engines were pressed into the service. While the fire brigade received a call at 10:20 pm about the fire, at 10:50 pm level III fire message was recorded. The call was elevated to level IV after assessing the situation at 11:10 pm.

A fireman on duty sustained a head injury while fighting fire and a women complained of suffocation. Both were hospitalised.

"Fire confined to hutments, godowns. Fourteen fire engines, nine tankers and two Emergency Medical Service ambulance were sent to the spot," said Pratap Rahangdale, Chief Fire Officer of Mumbai Fire Brigade.