A big cloud of smoke was seen coming out as fire fighters were trying to control the fire
A major fire broke out in a slum in Bandra West area of Mumbai. Initial reports suggested it is a level three fire. Twenty-five engines and eight water tankers were at the spot to douse the blaze
The incident was reported at 11.50 am in Nargis Dutt Nagar slum, Mumbai's disaster management cell said in a statement. The second fire was reported an hour later from the Anand Nagar slum in Andheri west, where at least 50 hutments went up in flames as the fire spread rapidly. Four fire-tenders were battling the blaze for nearly two hours.
"A joint team of fire brigade, ward staffers and Mumbai Police personnel has been mobilised to douse the flames," it added.
Unconfirmed reports said the fire was caused by a cooking gas cylinder blast. No information of any casualty emerged as of now.
A big cloud of smoke was seen coming out as fire fighters tried to control the fire.
In August, four people, including an elderly woman, died and sixteen were injured in a fire that broke out at a high-rise apartment building in central Mumbai. Over hundred people lived in the building.
Mumbai unit BJP president Ashish Shelar said a cylinder blast could have led to the fire. Officials have said the exact cause of the incident will only be ascertained after an inquiry.
The plot at Nargis Dutt Nagar belongs to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) while the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is the planing agency of the area.
With inputs from PTI and IANS