A t least three people were killed and two others injured in a fire that broke out in the basement of the iconic Bombay House building in the Fort area of Mumbai. The building also houses the main office of the Tata Group.
According to authorities at St George Hospital, where the dead and injured were rushed to, the deaths resulted from loss of oxygen. Of the people evacuated, there were three casualties; Farad Wadia, Eashwar Patel and Shashank Pawar.
A Tata Sons spokesperson said, “The group offers deepest condolences to the bereaved families and relief is being organised. The authorities are investigating the cause of the incident. The Tata Group is fully cooperating in the investigations.” Thick smoke filled the basement area of the building, which houses the auditorium, the control room and a common cafeteria, at around 9 am. The colonial building, which has offices of Tata Steel, Tata Motors and Tata Chemicals, had to be completed evacuated within minutes. Tata Group Chairman, Ratan Tata, was out of the city when this occurred.
As many as 14 fire engines and six ambulances were needed to bring the fire under control, said authorities. Though the authorities did not state the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, unconfirmed reports say it originated from the cafeteria and spread to other parts. It is also believed that the dead are likely to be part of the catering staff. Many employees were asked to go home, while some like those from Tata Motors, were made to work from a temporary office at the Forbes building, adjacent to the 86-year-old Bombay House.
Some senior Tata Steel executives operated out of Taj Malal Palace, Colaba, while others were relocated to Nanavati Mahalaya building, close to Bombay House. A company source said the executives are likely to resume work at Bombay House by tomorrow afternoon.