MUMBAI: The blaze at Scindia House, Ballard Pier, was due to short-circuit on June 1, a fire brigade investigation report has revealed.
A senior fire official said it occurred in a cabin on the third floor and spread to the above two floors. But the building's first and second storeys were intact.
Six persons were rescued from the blaze. Five persons suffered suffocation and were taken to St George's Hospital, where their condition is reported to be stable. A fireman suffered injuries in the fire-fighting operations.
An official said, "The short-circuit could have been due to old wiring, overload of electrical cables or rats damaging wires. Investigations and eye-witnesses' statements showed the fire started on the third floor. There was combustible material, like files and papers, due to which the flames spread."
Investigations also revealed that while the building has a fire-fighting system, no one used it that day. Cooling operations had continued till the next morning.
Probe into high-profile cases, including that of diamond merchant Nirav Modi, being conducted at Scindia House.
The five-storeyed building is a grade II heritage structure in the business district of south Mumbai.
The fire occurred in a cabin on the third floor and spread to the above two floors of the Scindia House. (File Photo)