Mumbai's Parel Cystal Tower Fire: The blaze was classified as Level-2 by authorities.
A major fire broke out in a high-rise residential building in central Mumbai today morning. Eight fire engines were rushed to Mumbai's Crystal Tower apartments in Parel. The fire has since been brought under control. Four water tankers, police and electrical mechanics were also sent to the building to control the fire. Smoke spread through the building's staircase and trapping the residents on the top floor. Several people trapped on the top floor of the 17-storey building near Hindmata Cinema, were evacuated. Sixteen people were injured in the fire and were taken to the city's KEM Hospital, according to the Mumbai civic body. The apartments on the 12th floor of the building were caught in a blaze classified as Level-2, that soon spread to the upper floors of the building.
Fire and huge plumes of smoke were seen from the building. The fire brigade office received a call about the blaze on twelfth floor of the building at 8.32 am, an official said. While the cause of the fire is still not known, authorities have begun an investigation into the matter.
Here are the updates on Mumbai's Crystal Tower fire:
The smoke spread through the building's staircases and lifts were not used as a precautionary measure. Two of the people who died were stuck in the lift.
In all the chaos, a 10-year-old girl who lived in Crystal Tower saved not just her life but that of her family and neighbours too. She paid heed to the fire safety drill taught at school and put that into practice when the fire broke out.
The fire reportedly started because of a fault in the electrical wiring.
Cranes were used to evacuate the building:
Eight fire engines, four water tankers, snorkels, police and mechanics were involved in efforts to control the blaze and rescue the people trapped inside.
The injured people are being treated at KEM Hospital in the city.
The building will be labelled unsafe and will be evacuated. A lot of safety parameters were not met and the fire sprinkles were not working at all.
Authorities have begun an investigation to find out what led to the fire.
The smoke from the raging fire spread rapidly and residents were trapped on the building's staircases, news agency PTI quoted Mumbai Fire Brigade chief PS Rahangdale as saying.