14 rescued, 3 firemen injured as massive blaze engulfs Mumbai mall

Mumbai, Sep 22 (IANS) At least 14 persons were rescued, while three firemen were injured due to the smoke and suffocation, after a massive fire swept through the Hira Panna Mall in Mumbai's Jogeshwari west, the BMC Disaster Control said here on Friday.

The fire was reported around 3.15 p.m. from the ground-plus-three storied mall and raged through electric ducts, wiring, installations and other equipment affecting around a dozen shops on the second and third floors of the mall.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade deployed a high pressure first-aid line and five small hose lines to fight the conflagration.

A total of14 persons stranded on the terrace and other places were rescued with Angus
ladders or staircases.

Three firemen from Goregaon Fire Brigade battling the blaze were injured due to suffocation by the toxic fumes and rushed to the Trauma Care Centre Hospital by ambulances.

They are Sandip M. Patil, Raju U. Shingankar and Yogesh Kondawar, and their
condition has been described as stable.

The cause of the fire, suspected to be a short-circuit, is being probed and fire-fighting operations continue.