Massive Fire at two locations in Bhiwandi, Mumbai; 150 trapped

A huge fire has broken out at two locations in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra in the morning of 12 April 2016. The first fire broke out at a residential building, and more than 150 people are feared to be trapped. The second incident took place at a garment factory in Nagaon.

According to the Fire Department officials, the fire in the residential building has spread to the fourth floor. Eight fire tenders have been rushed to the spot to control the blaze and rescue the trapped persons from the buildings inferno.

Meanwhile, another five fire tenders are battling the blaze at the garment factory. Till now four people have been rescued from the factory while 150 people are trapped in the building and they have moved to the terrace of the building. There have been no reports of any casualties in the inferno till now.

The people are being rescued with the help of ladders by the firefighting officials.The exact cause of the fire has not been ascertained till now. According to reports the blaze first started on the ground floor and soon spread to the other floors.

The fire is reported to have started in the wee hours of Monday in the residential as well as the commercial building of Kasimpura Bhiwandi.

According to latest inputs, the fire fighting officials are trying to rescue as many as 80 people who are feared to be trapped in the building. The firefighting officials have ruled out the use of helicopters since the draught caused by the rotors can fan the flames and make it fiercer.

The fire is reported to be travelling upwards and has reached the fourth floor. There is neither second exit from the building nor any fire exit. It is one more glaring example of lax fire security measures in old high-rise buildings in and around Mumbai.