The firefighting operation at the Times Tower in Mumbai's Kamala Mills compound ended after more than five hours on Friday afternoon, according to civic officials. The fire, which started around 6:30 am, was contained to an electrical duct located between the 3rd and 7th floors at the rear of the 14-story building with a glass facade. The blaze was extinguished by the fire brigade at approximately 11:55 am, following their initial response to the call at 6:30 am.
Cooling operations are currently underway at the site. Firefighters had to use a chisel and hammer to break open locked doors and access the building to combat the flames. Eight fire engines and other firefighting vehicles were dispatched to the scene. Residents reported that their security personnel attempted to manage the fire with their own equipment before the professional firefighters arrived.
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande criticized the situation, stating, “This is the third time in five years that a fire has occurred in the Kamala Mills compound. There have been no fire audits for the buildings, and illegal construction continues to rise, with local MLAs allegedly supporting it.”