Five killed as major fire breaks out in Mumbai high-rise building

Mumbai: Police say at least five people have died after a fire broke out on the 11th floor of a residential building in Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital.

Police officer Sushil Kamble says one person was hospitalized Thursday after complaining of trouble breathing caused by smoke from the 15-story building in Mumbai’s Chembur area.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. It engulfed the 11th floor of the building before being extinguished by firefighters. The Press Trust of India news agency said one fire officer was injured in the rescue operation.

Fires are common in India, where building laws and safety norms are often flouted by builders and residents. In December of last year, a late-night fire in a Mumbai restaurant killed 15 people.