Towering BKC inferno tamed

Fire on 12th floor spread to 13th Trapped labourers evacuated

A major fire that broke out in a high rise under construction in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on Friday morning was brought under control in around two hours.

The fire broke out at around 10.45 am on the 12th floor of First International Financial Centre (FIFC) building in the commercial hub and spread to the 13th floor in a matter of minutes, trapping some labourers in the building for some time.

"About 10-12 labourers were working on the interiors," said a police official. They were evacuated safely and no injuries were reported.

"It took around two hours to bring the fire under control. There were no casualties as the building housed no offices," he added.

The cause of the fire could not be ascertained immediately.

The building hasn't been occupied yet and the fire originated in a server room. "Preliminary inquiry suggests it may have been caused by malfunctioning of equipment," said Chief Fire Officer Suhas Joshi.

The FIFC building and neighbouring buildings were evacuated, said fire officials.

"There are many highrise buildings in Bandra Kurla Complex and these are highly prone to fire. There should be a strict fire check as lives are at risk. Although big companies have their offices in this area, there is no surety they have all fire safety measures in place. There needs to be an audit of these offices," said Akash Shah, who works in a nearby office.

An official from the fire control room said eight water tankers and five fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

A fire in a nine-storey buillding of a leading developer in BKC in 2010 had taken over six hours to be doused by 16 fire engines, nine water tankers and five snorkels.

... contd.

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