Mumbai, Nov 9 — Multiple fire incidents were reported across Mumbai and neighbouring Thane on Diwali night, with major blazes engulfing residential buildings, shops and hutments, triggering panic among residents and prompting extensive firefighting and rescue operations.
Several people were trapped amid thick smoke and intense heat, while four persons sustained minor injuries in one of the incidents in Thane's Kasarvadavali area, officials said.
Separate fire incidents were reported in Vidyavihar, Dongri, Dadar and Thane's Raheja Gardens, keeping fire brigade personnel and disaster management teams on their toes as they rushed to the affected locations to contain the flames and rescue stranded residents.
In one of the incidents, a fire broke out in two interconnected flats on the seventh floor of the ground-plus-seven-storey Skyline Epitome building in Vidyavihar West at around 4.50 p.m. on Wednesday.
Although no injuries were reported in the incident, the blaze caused considerable damage to household belongings and property.
As smoke and intense heat spread through the building, five people, including three women and two men, were stranded in a flat opposite the affected apartments. They were unable to make their way out through the passage due to the hazardous conditions.
Fire brigade personnel subsequently carried out a rescue operation and safely evacuated all five occupants.
The two affected flats together covered an area of approximately 3,000 square feet. The fire damaged electrical wiring, installations, furniture, doors, windows, household articles and split air-conditioning units.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control and completely extinguish it by around 7 p.m. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be established, and an investigation was underway.
In another major incident, a fire broke out late Sunday night in Mumbai's Dongri area, spreading across several shops and hutments and triggering panic among local residents.
The blaze erupted at Haji Kasam Chawl, located near Datta Mandir on Dr Maheshwari Road, before spreading over a considerable area.
Fire brigade teams were rushed to the spot to tackle the flames and prevent the fire from spreading further to adjoining structures.
Meanwhile, a major fire was reported at a 17-storey residential building in Thane city on Sunday evening. The incident occurred at around 8.30 p.m. at the Carlyle building, situated within the Raheja Gardens complex in the Wagle Estate area.
Officials said that no injuries had been reported in the incident. The exact circumstances that led to the outbreak of the fire were not immediately known.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that emergency responders managed to rescue around 50 people from the building. As a precautionary measure, residents were moved to the terrace and designated refuge areas to ensure their safety while firefighting operations were underway.
In a separate incident in Mumbai, a fire broke out at Kamgar Stadium in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Nagar, Dadar West. The fire involved wooden and bamboo materials stored on the premises, prompting an immediate response from the fire brigade.
Firefighters reached the location and launched an operation to douse the flames. The blaze was successfully extinguished within minutes. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Another fire incident was reported in Thane West, where four people sustained minor injuries, and two others were rescued after flames broke out in the corridor on the seventh floor of a residential building in the early hours of Sunday.
The incident occurred at Aravali Hills Society in the Kasarvadavali area, approximately 20 minutes after midnight. According to officials, the fire originated in the seventh-floor corridor of the building's A wing, prompting an immediate response from firefighting teams and disaster management personnel.
Fire brigade officials and disaster management teams rushed to the residential complex and initiated efforts to bring the situation under control.
The fire was completely extinguished by around 1.10 a.m., officials said.
Investigations into the causes of the individual incidents were underway.