A major fire broke out in an over-centry old building housing residential apartments and shops, causing its partial collaps and leaving five persons, including fire fighters, injured in a densely-populated locality of South Mumbai this evening.
A portion of the under-repair building collapsed as the fire spread across all its four floors and gutted wooden beams and columns, said senior police inspector S S Mandalik of L T Marg police station.
The building, 'Gokul Nivas', is situated in the densely populated Kalba Devi area and houses some residential apartments on the fourth floor and cloth godowns and shops on the floors below.
Chief fire officer Sunil Nesrikar and two other fire brigade personnel were injured during the flame-dousing operation which was underway late in the evening.
A couple of residents too were injured. All of them were admitted to nearby Masina Hospital.
"We were informed about the fire at 4.20 pm and our personnel reached the spot in ten miniutes despite traffic snarls," a fire brigade official said.
17 fire engines and 10 tankers were rushed to the spot.
Jagdish Purohit, manager of the adjacent Adarsh Hotel, said "fire brigade personnel saved a few residents from the rear of the building.
