A massive fire broke out in a commercial building at Raghuvanshi Mills compound in Lower Parel, Mumbai, on Thursday. (Photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

A major fire broke out in a vacant three-storey commercial building at Raghuvanshi Mills compound in Lower Parel on Thursday. The blaze erupted around 9.28 am and the fire fighting operation was going on till late on Thursday night.

An Assistant Station Officer was injured in the incident and was provided first aid at the spot, said officials. A total of 14 fire engines and nine jumbo tankers, two breathing apparatus vans and quick response vehicles each, one rescue vehicle, a control post and an aerial ladder and an ambulance were deployed to the site.

An official said that at 9.43 am, when a Mumbai Fire Brigade team reached the spot, the entire building was covered in smoke. Prabhat Rahangdale, chief fire officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade, said a thermal imaging camera was used to ascertain the exact spot inside the building, where the fire broke out.

“The offices in the building were shut due to the lockdown. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. Mumbai Fire Brigade officials are suspecting a short-circuit since the building was vacant. They are trying to find the exact spot, where the fire first broke out, as heavy smoke has spread to all the three floors,” Mayor Kishori Pednekar said.

Fire at Raghuvanshi Mills was the third such incident in the city on Thursday. No casualty was reported in any of the three incidents, a fire brigade official said.

The first fire incident was reported at Nand-Dham Industrial Estate in Marol area of Andheri at 12.49 am. According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the blaze was confined to the ground floor godown. The fire was brought under control around 4 am.

A divisional fire officer of Mumbai Fire Brigade fainted during the fire-fighting operation and was rushed to Nanavati Hospital. The officer later tested positive for Covid-19.

The second incident was reported around 5.21 am in a bank’s office and server room located on the ground floor of the 15-storey Jolly Maker Chamber 2 building at Nariman Point.

Prabhat Rahangdale, chief fire officer, said, “The fire was confined to electric wiring, electric installation, office furniture, computers, office records, documents and false ceiling in an area about 4,000 square feet of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, along with the server room on the ground floor of the commercial complex. The building’s alarm system was working, however, the sprinklers were not activated”.