MUMBAI: A fireman died and six of his colleagues were injured while dousing a blaze that broke out at a high rise commercial building here on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Nitin Yevalekar.
Around 30 firemen were trapped on the terrace of Lotus Business Park, which houses offices of actor Hritik Roshan and celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, after they doused a major fire in a canteen on its 21st floor.
The blaze started on the 21st floor of the building at 11.30 am and soon spread to the 20th floor. There were no reports of any civilian casualty as people working in the building were evacuated soon after the fire erupted.
The Navy and Coast Guard helicopters were sent to rescue the firefighters trapped on the terrace of the building.
“Twenty-one firemen were brought to our hospital, one of them was brought dead. Some of them are injured, but none is serious,” Medical Superintendent of Cooper Hospital Dr Sitaram Gawde said.
An official at the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai’s disaster management cell said only six of those rushed to the hospital had received injuries. Tawde said it was not yet known if the death was due to asphyxiation or injuries.
Fighting inclement weather, the Navy and Coast Guard personnel on two helicopters waged a grim battle to evacuate those trapped on the terrace.
Dramatic videos showed stranded firefighters clinging precariously to railings and scaffoldings as giant flames leapt towards them.
As timely showers caused the fire to abate, they managed to return to terrace after some time.
After hovering in the sky and finding no place to land, the Navy and Coast Guard personnel lowered winches and firemen were hauled up the aircraft.
According to fire brigade officials, 22 fire engines, 10 water tankers and six jetties were deployed to quell the blaze which was extinguished after more than six hours.