A massive fire broke out inside an electronics showroom and engulfed a three-storey commercial establishment in Mumbai’s Bandra West early Tuesday, prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to mobilize the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to aid the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) in dousing the flames. While no injuries were reported, several shops as well as restaurants within the commercial building were gutted in the first major fire incident in the city this year.
According to preliminary reports, the fire was reported at 4:11 am at the Croma showroom inside the basement of the Link Square mall along Linking Road number 33 in Bandra West. Housing parking spaces in the basement and over 200 shops, the commercial building comprises three levels of basement and three upper floors. Soon, the smoke and flames raced from the basement through the floors, leaving the entire structure engulfed with fire.
Data showed that the blaze escalated rapidly with the fire brigade declaring the incident as level 1 at 4:17 am, followed by a Level 2 upgrade at 4:28 am, level 3 at 4:49 am, and then as level 4 at 6:25 am. As the massive fire left plumes of dense smoke billowing across the neighbourhood, the Mumbai Fire Brigade evacuated the adjacent residential building to ensure the safety of residents.
Senior officials from the MFB stated that it is likely the blaze erupted much earlier but remained inconspicuous for nearly an hour until the smoke and flames became evident to the public. “We received the fire call around 4 am but it is likely that the fire had broken much earlier. People must have noticed it later and reported afterwards. By the time we reached the spot, there was tremendous heat and smoke so it was difficult to curb it immediately,” said an official.
Initially, the civic body had pressed 15 jumbo tankers and eight fire engines into service, but the official added that the number of tankers was increased as the day progressed. At least 12 lines of 15 motor pumps, of which nine were small hose lines and two high pressure, were also used to douse the flames. A robo device was also deployed to aid in the operations.
Meanwhile, in a bid to facilitate ventilation, firefighters resorted to shattering the structure’s glass facade. It was in 2009 that the Link Square mall was established by NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who expressed dismay over the incident. His son, NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique, reached the site of the mishap on Tuesday morning and stated, “Till today, it was one of the best working malls of Linking Road.”
Speaking to reporters, he alleged that the fire spread due to ineffective firefighting by the MFB. Denying the allegation, Ravindra Ambulgekar, chief fire officer (CFO) of the MFB, said, “There was very intensive heat and dense smoke, making it difficult to determine the entry point. The mall was filled with many objects, further blocking the entry points of the structure.”
According to Ambulgekar, the internal firefighting system of the building was inoperative during the course of the firefighting. While preliminary reports indicate that the fire broke out due to a short circuit in the basement’s Croma showroom, senior MFB officials maintained that they are yet to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Responding to questions, Ambulgekar said that they will soon be launching an investigation to determine the irregularities and the exact cause of the fire. Meanwhile, more than twelve hours after the fire was reported, the MFB managed to cover the flames from all sides around 5:24 pm. Owners as well as tenants running small businesses inside the mall, who thronged the mall, said on Tuesday afternoon that they are yet to gauge the extent of their losses.
“This shop was our only source of income. Besides incurring huge losses owing to large quantum of stocks burnt, nearly every shop also employs over 2 – 3 people whose families also depend on their salaries. How will we survive now?” said Tauseef Shaikh, a tenant who runs a garment shop inside the mall.
The fire incident has raised serious concerns about the adequacy of fire safety measures in commercial establishments. Siddique expressed his frustration over the initial response to the fire, which started as a minor incident around 4 am but escalated due to ineffective handling. He elaborated, “We kept requesting them to supply more water, but nothing was done. Even when some parts of the store were still burning, they were unable to handle the situation. When we arrived at 4 am, no one from the fire brigade or police was there. I had to call the Special Commissioner at 6 am before anything happened.”
Siddique warned that there were gas cylinders in the restaurants above and that this could lead to a massive explosion. “It’s really unfortunate. Many officers in the Mumbai Fire Brigade are capable, but without proper equipment or training, their efforts are wasted. If there were 100 people inside that building, many lives could have been lost. We have videos showing how poorly the situation was handled. This is a very serious issue, and the officer in charge must be held responsible for the damage caused,” he stated.
The fire, which started in a showroom, subsequently spread throughout the mall, leading to significant damage and loss for many small business owners and employees. As the investigation into the cause of the fire continues, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of robust fire safety protocols in urban commercial spaces.
