Five children among nine killed in fire at medical store in Mumbai’s Andheri

Mumbai: Five children among nine were killed in a fire at a building housing a medical store in Andheri, Mumbai on Thursday, police said.

The fire broke out at 6 am at Wafa medical store in Juhu galli in Andheri West. While the store was on the ground floor, families lived on the first and second floors. One person is seriously injured in the incident apart from the eight deaths.

According to a fire brigade official, a cylinder kept in the medical store is suspected to have exploded resulting in the fire.

However, the exact cause of the blaze would be ascertained after a proper inquiry, he said.

The victims were rushed to the nearby Cooper Hospital, he said.

“Our fire brigade team received a call at 6.15 AM and we rushed three fire tenders, one water tanker and two ambulances to the spot,” the official said, adding that the blaze has been brought under control.

Fire tenders rushed to the site were able to douse the blaze.