Mumbai: Panic gripped residents of a high-rise residential tower in Mumbai’s Andheri West on Thursday morning after a fire broke out in the building, prompting a swift rescue operation that led to the evacuation of nearly 40 people.
Officials said the fire erupted around 10 am at Sorrento Tower, a 23-storey building located near the Country Club on Veera Desai Road. No injuries were reported in the incident.
According to civic authorities, around 30 to 40 residents were rescued from the refuge area on the 16th floor using the building’s staircase. In a separate operation, three people, including a woman trapped inside a flat on the 15th floor, were safely evacuated with the help of breathing apparatus.
The blaze affected electrical wiring and other installations inside the building’s electrical shaft between the 10th and 21st floors. Routers, shoe racks and wooden furniture kept near duct areas on multiple floors were also damaged, an official said.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade rushed at least four fire engines along with additional firefighting equipment to the spot. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by 11.37 am.
Authorities said the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. An investigation has been initiated to ascertain how the fire started and assess the extent of damage to the building.
