|
Dozens trapped in burning Mantralaya, navy called
Thursday June 21, 2012 05:41:39 PM,
IANS
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Mumbai:
A major fire raged in the Maharashtra Mantrayala or secretariat
here Thursday, with a man who escaped claiming that some 50 people
were trapped in the building.
Scores of people were perched on some of the balconies waiting to
be rescued as thick black columns of smoke billowed out of the
windows of the sprawling building in the heart of Mumbai.
A few risked their lives and slid down several floors clutching
water and drainage pipes.
The fire broke out on the fourth floor of the seven-floor building
and quickly spread because of strong winds from the sea.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's office was also on
fire.
Rescue workers frantically appealed to those trapped in the
Mantralaya to get to the roof for rescue by navy helicopters.
Several Marine Commandos joined the rescue operations, being
overseen by the Mumbai Fire Service and Mumbai Police.
More and more fire engines with their sirens wailing continued to
rush to the burning Mantralaya from other parts of the city.
"I climbed down a water pipe to escape the flames," said a
breathless man who later said that many others had made similar
attempts to escape with the help of thick electricity cables and
drainage pipes.
A large number of people were evacuated after the fire broke out.
However, many were trapped in some rooms and offices of the higher
floors, an official said.
Despite fighting the rising flames for hours, the fire could not
be controlled.
The cause of the fire has not been ascertained.
The landmark Mantralaya building is located in the heart of South
Mumbai, close to the Mumbai High Court.
It houses some 1,500 employees and every day gets an equal number
of visitors.
Hundreds were seen outside the building watching the flames and
smoke. Most employees who escaped were from the lower floors.
Also watching the inferno were the chief minister and Deputy Chief
Minister Ajit Pawar.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
BJP backs Sangma for presidential election
the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP,
could not arrive at consensus on presidential candidate as the
Janata Dal (United) and the Shiv Sena could not »
Sangma quits NCP, set to take on Pranab
NCP cautions Sangma, says he will withdraw
|
|
|
|
Most Read |
|
Govt firm on
National Waqf Development Corporation: Salman
Khurshid
Union Minister of Minorities Affairs Salman Khurshid on
Wednesday
announced that National Waqf Development Corporation will be
constituted to improve
»
|
|
Sangma quits NCP, set to take on Pranab
In a dramatic development, former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma
Wednesday quit the NCP, saying he was hurt by his party's failure
to back his presidential candidature, firmly setting the stage for
a contest with UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee.
But with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) divided over
Sangma and
» |
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
Indian Americans lead all in income,
education: Survey
Seven in 10 Indian-American adults ages 25 and
older have a college degree, compared with about half of Americans
of Korean, Chinese, Filipino and Japanese ancestry, and about a
quarter of Vietnamese
»
Indian-American engineer-physicist named US varsity VC |
|
Hindutva Prime Minister:
RSS justifies Bhagwat's statement
Justifying the RSS chief's statement that the country should have
a prime minister who propounded Hindutva, the organisation's
spokesman Wednesday said the views should not be linked to
»
|
|
Conference in Delhi to discuss Malaysian model for Indian Hajis
A day-long Haj conference will be held today in the National
capital to discuss the possibility of the Malaysian Model of Haji
Tabang for the Indian Haj pilgrims. The conference will be
»
|
|
Egyptian ex-president Mubarak on 'life
support'
Hosni Mubarak was on life support in hospital on Wednesday,
Egyptian military officials said, denying a report that the ousted
president was clinically dead. Earlier the state news agency, amid
high tension over
» |
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Edward P. Evans Hall, a
242,000-square-foot building that will become the new campus of
the Yale School of Management in 2013. With the new campus Yale
intends to significantly increase the number of students in its
master's degree programmes.
(Photo: IANS) |
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links