President, PM, Rahul condole deaths in Mumbai fire

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday condoled the death of 14 persons, who died after a fire broke out in a pub in Mumbai.

Of the 14 killed, 11 were women and another 23 others were injured in the deadly blaze that broke out in Kamala Mills compound early on Friday.

"Disturbing news about the fire in Mumbai. Condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured an early recovery. Commend the valiant efforts of fire-fighters and those in rescue operations," the President said in a tweet.

"Anguished by the fire in Mumbai. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I pray that those injured recover quickly," Modi said.

"It is a very unfortunate incident in the Kamala Mills compound in Mumbai due to which many lost their lives," Gandhi tweeted in Marathi. "I share the pain of the victims' families. An inquiry should be ordered and the guilty must be punished severely."

The blaze was reported around 12.30 a.m. from a rooftop restaurant in The Kamla Trade House. It quickly spread to another pub and a restaurant in the vicinity, said an official of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Disaster Control.

The flames quickly spread virtually trapping over 200 people on the premises, the authorities said.

More than 12 fire tenders were rushed to fight the blaze which was brought under control around 6.30 a.m. Most of the deaths were due to asphyxiation.

--IANS

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