MUMBAI: A major fire broke out at
Scindia House, a fivestorey heritage structure in the office precinct of Ballard Estate on Friday afternoon. Fire brigade officials said the blaze started on the third floor which houses the investigation unit of the Income Tax department. It was still raging when reports last came in.
Six people who had been trapped in a part of the building were rescued. Five of these who suffered suffocation were sent to St George Hospital. Their condition was reported to be stable. Besides, a fireman suffered injuries in the fire-fighting operation.
An official from the fire brigade said that the fire had originated in a canteen on the third floor around 4.30 pm and eventually spread to the higher floors. “The building has been vacated,” said a fire official. Ventilation was lacking in this ancient structure, said fire officials. Buildings in Ballard Estate a heritage precinct, made in sandstone date back to the British era.
Local corporator Sujata Sanap, who is from the Shiv Sena, said that when she reached the spot, the flames could be seen raging on the third floor. “But within no time, the fire spread rapidly to the higher floors,” said Sanap.
Additional municipal commissioner Idzes Kundan, who was present at the spot, said last evening that the fire had been contained. "We will investigate what caused the flames to spread,” she said.
Assistant municipal commissioner of civic ward A, Kiran Dighavkar, said that the first and second floors of the building are intact. The building also houses the offices of the Debt Recovery Tribunal.
Enquiries into several high-profile cases were being conducted at Scindia House. These include the probe into the case of diamond merchant Nirav Modi and banker Chanda Kochhar. While none of the documents pertaining to these case has been destroyed, officials said they will have to assess if any document pertaining to any other important case has been affected.
Senior Income Tax officials said that documents and other relevant material pertaining to the case of diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his uncle, Mehul Choksi, are safe as they had recently handed over these documents to their assessment wing which is situated at another location. Besides, an “expensive” painting which the tax authorities had recovered from Modi’s warehouse is safe. The officials were also inquiring into a case pertaining to top banker Chanda Kochhar. Officials, however, said that there none of the “important documents” pertaining to the Kochhar case inquiry was at Scindia House.
Scindia House was the headquarters of one of the oldest shipping companies in India, Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd.
Firefighters at Scindia House in Ballard Estate.