A Level-I fire broke out late Sunday night near D B Marg, opposite Reliance Mall in Mumbai Central, triggering a swift emergency response. The blaze was limited to several shops and rooms within a chawl structure in the area. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. Multiple agencies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s fire brigade, local police, BEST personnel, and ward officials, rushed to the spot to control the situation. Their coordinated efforts helped prevent the fire from spreading further to nearby structures in the densely populated locality, ensuring the safety of residents and minimizing the overall impact of the incident.
Reacting to the incident, Congress MLA Amin Patel stated that a short circuit is believed to be the likely cause of the fire. He explained that the blaze started between 10:30 pm and 10:45 pm and initially appeared to be minor. However, due to the presence of numerous small shops and a congested layout, the fire spread quickly. Patel noted that the upper residential portion of the building was unoccupied at the time and that the structure was already in a dilapidated and risky condition. While the incident resulted in considerable property damage, he emphasized that it was fortunate no lives were lost in the mishap.
Providing an update on the firefighting efforts, Patel said that the situation had largely been brought under control, although operations were still underway. He mentioned that it could take another two hours to completely extinguish the remaining flames. Cooling operations are expected to continue until the following day to prevent any chances of reignition. He also highlighted safety concerns regarding certain sections of the building, particularly on the left side, which have become structurally unstable and pose a risk of collapse. As a result, these portions are likely to be demolished, with MHADA expected to take necessary action starting Monday morning.