Fire breaks out in MTNL building; 84 rescued from terrace

A massive fire broke out on Monday in MTNL building here, trapping 84 people on the terrace of the nine-storey structure, all of whom were later rescued by fire brigade personnel in one of the biggest operations in recent times, officials said.

The blaze started at around 3 pm at the building in suburban Bandra, which houses state-run telecom company MTNL, and all those stranded were rescued by the evening, they said.

Mumbai fire brigade chief P S Rahangdale said all those present in the building have been accounted for and as per MTNL authorities, no one is missing, "but our search operation and firefighting is on".

More than two dozen machines and equipment, including fire engines, special hydraulic ladders, jumbo water tankers, robofire (a robot), rescue van and breathing set vans, among others, were used for the operation that lasted for several hours, he said.

About 150 officers and men were involved in the operation, Rahangdale said, adding that nearly 160 breathing apparatus sets were used and up to 100 people, 84 of them stranded on the terrace, were rescued from different parts of the building.

"It was one of the biggest and successful firefighting and rescue operations in recent time in India," he said.

Sagar Salve, a fireman, inhaled smoke during firefighting operation, following which he was admitted to Bhabha Hospital, another official said, adding thath he is stable and out of danger.

A search was on to find out if anyone was still trapped on the blaze-hit third, fourth, fifth and also other floors of the telephone exchange building, which incidentally, is located near a fire brigade centre, the official said.

Armed with searchlights, other equipment and donning fire protection suits, fire brigade personnel searched these floors, the official said.

For the first time, a newly-introduced robot, Robofire, remotely controlled by an operator, was used to control the blaze, he said.

As it was a working day, many persons, mostly employees of the state-run telecom firm, were present inside the building, he said.

As the fire started on the third and fourth floors, panic-stricken people began running out of the building. People who were on upper floors went to the terrace to save themselves, the official said.

Due to strong winds and thick smoke billowing out of the building, fire brigade personnel faced difficulties in dousing the flames, he said, some nearby buildings were also affected.

People trapped on the terrace were seen screaming and frantically seeking help as they used handkerchiefs to avoid inhalation of smoke.

The cause of the fire was not yet known.

"We came down from the fifth floor via lift. We saw fire brigade personnel bringing out some people from a smoke-filled floor," a woman said.

Another woman, who also managed to come out of the building, said, "When we came to know of the fire, we searched for the staircase, which had become partially invisible due to heavy smoke."