Fire in Mumbai building; 5 people suffer from suffocation

Mumbai: A fire broke out in a seven-storey residential building in Mumbai on Tuesday, following which at least five persons suffered from suffocation and were hospitalized, an official said.

The blaze erupted around 9 am in the electric meter room of the building of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) at Jankalyan Nagar in suburban Kandivali, he said.

Soon, smoke engulfed the whole building due to which some residents got trapped inside and on its terrace, the official said. Fire brigade officials with three vehicles, police, and ambulance rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation.

Around 40 people were rescued from the building. Five of them got suffocated and were sent to a hospital where they were reported to be in stable condition, the official said. The fire was doused by around 11 am, he said.