A major fire has broken out at telephone exchange building in Bandra in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Around 100 people are feared trapped.
The incident happened around 3.10 p.m. at MTNL building on Bandra West's S.V. Road. The fire is confined to the third and fourth floor in the nine-storey building.
The total number of people have gone up to 22. There are no reports of casualties. As many as 175 firemen and fire officers are currently on site, reports our correspondent Tanvi Deshpande.
15 people evacuated
At least 15 people have been evacuated safely from the fire.
As it is a working day, many persons, mostly MTNL employees, were present inside the building, a civic official said. Fourteen fire engines and other equipment, including a robot van and an ambulance, is engaged in fire fighting, he added.
Fire fighters evacuate people from the window during the firefighting operation at MTNL building in Bandra, Mumbai | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
Fire fighting and rescue operations is in progress and efforts to rescue people stranded on upper floors and terrace of the building are on, the official said.
Visuals on TV channels showed smoke billowing from the building and people on the terrace trying to signal those below. There are no reports yet of anyone being injured in the incident.
- PTI
Mumbai police took to Twitter to confirm the fire, but did not give any information on those trapped.
Fire fighters struggle with the smoke bellowing out of MTNL building in Bandra, Mumbai | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
"An incident of fire is reported at Telephone Exchange, Near Sanjeri Bldg, S.V. Road, Bandra (W). Police Station Staff and Fire Brigade Staff are on the spot for further help and assistance," police wrote on Twitter.
The fire was initially categorised as level II (minor) but has escalated to level IV (major).
Fourteen fire engines, four jumbo tankers, one firefighting robot has been mobilised. According to disaster control, about 100 people are suspected trapped on the higher floors.
(This is a developing story.)