Major fire at hotel in south Mumbai; 25 rescued

At least 25 people were rescued after a major fire broke out in a five-storey hotel in south Mumbai on Wednesday night, officials said.

Twenty-five doctors were residing in Hotel Fortune near Metro Cinema when the blaze broke out, according to the fire brigade officials.

The BMC has arranged temporary accommodation for emergency and essential service staffers, including doctors and nurses, in various hotels and lodges in the city due to COVID-19 pandemic.

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"The fire spread on the first to third floors of the hotel located on 1st Marine street," an official said. "It is a level-2 fire and at least eight fire engines have been rushed to the spot."

The officer said the fire was confined to the electric wiring and cables in the entire electrical duct, and to the false ceiling in the lobby, common passages on first, second and third floors of the hotel.

"Hotel was housing about 25 resident doctors and all are evacuated safely," the official said, adding that five of them were rescued using ladders and donning breathing apparatus sets.

Firefighting, as well as search and rescue operation, are on inside the hotel. The cause of the blaze is not known immediately, the fire brigade said. Further details are awaited.

Earlier on April 21, a big fire broke out in a lodging room of Hotel Ripon near Mumbai Central, which was being used as a quarantine facility by the civic body.