Mumbai: 16 Injured as Mantralaya Fire Rages, All Rescued


Mumbai: 16 Injured in Mantralaya Fire, Blaze Under Control

Pics: Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Jun 21 (IANS): Sixteen people were injured as a major fire swept the Maharashtra Mantralaya or secretariat here Thursday, with officials saying that everyone had been rescued from the building and the blaze was under control.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan Thursday said that the massive fire that gutted most of the top four floors was now under control. He also ordered a probe by the Crime Branch into the incident.

Chavan, who held an emergency meeting in the evening, discussed the situation with other ministers and planned alternative arrangements for ministers to function till the situation normalised at the state government's administrative headquarters.

"An inquiry has been ordered. Crime Branch will start inquiry into the matter," Chavan told reporters after the meeting.

"It (the blaze) started on fourth floor from room no 411," he said.

Relief and Rehabilitation Secretary Pravin Pardeshi had said that 65 people trapped on the fifth and sixth floor had been evacuated by Fire Brigade personnel.

"There are no more people inside. Fire fighters are combing the place again to check if anyone has been trapped inside," he said.

Of the 16 injured, all were in stable condition barring one, Chavan said.

Chief Secretary J. Banthia had also announced at a press conference in the afternoon that all the employees had been evacuated.

This press conference also attended by some ministers turned stormy after journalists and a section of secretariat employees demanded to know how such an inferno could spread so fast in a high security complex.

Chavan, whose office was gutted, looked sombre as he entered the complex with the building still on fire in the evening. He avoided journalists.

Officials said 16 people had suffered varying injuries, with six officials warded in hospitals.

Tribal Welfare Minister Babanrao Pachpute was among the first to try to fight the massive fire, before realising its extent and escaping.

"I was working in my chamber. Suddenly, I heard an explosion and saw a lot of smoke coming out," Pachpute, whose office is on the fourth floor, told media persons.

Believing it to be a minor fire, he grabbed a fire extinguisher and attempted to douse it, he said, adding he escaped with another minister after realising the extent of the blaze.

Some employees escaped via pipes and cables outside.

"I climbed down a water pipe to escape the flames," said a breathless man who said that others made similar attempts to escape by clutching to thick electricity cables and drainage pipes.

There were frightening scenes as employees, including women, in the higher floors frantically tried to get out.

Many crowded balconies or perched on window sills and on ledges outside the windows. All of them were taken down by the Mumbai Fire Service using lift ladders.

A total of 21 fire tenders fought the fire which first broke out on the floor four at 2.15 p.m., as thick dark clouds of smoke billowed from the windows, darkening the Mumbai sky.

Authorities said a strong breeze from the sea helped the fire to spread to higher floors and to other sections of the vast building.

Officials admitted a sea of official documents had been destroyed.

A main control tower atop the building which is linked to all the district headquarters in the state was damaged and rendered non-functional in the blaze, besides furniture and fittings, computers, original files and documents of various departments pertaining to important official decisions.

Earlier, a man who escaped claimed that some 50 people were trapped in the building, spreading panic.

Rescue workers appealed to those trapped to get to the roof for rescue by navy helicopters.

Several Marine Commandos joined the rescue operations.

Throughout the fire, more and more fire engines with their sirens wailing raced to the burning Mantralaya from other parts of the city.

The landmark building, in the heart of South Mumbai, employs some 1,500 men and women. Every day it gets an equal number of visitors.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Amin Bhoja, Patte- Riyadh

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    Sometime we are so smart to be be fools! and it is a kind of example what we are watching nowadays.Sure you will smell a rotten smell from this fire because all the Adarsh scam and it's files anyway .

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • rajesh, mangalore

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    dear all this guy is misleading readers..
    CBI already confirmed on files related to bofors and adarsh are distroyed in fire(as per TOI)..

    He just love any thing wihcih hurts india ..what we expect from people who call likes of ajmal kasab as peaceful relegius student and madani as relegius teacehr who only spread peace..

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • PREM BANGERA, NIDDODI/QATAR

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    Caught fire are only the documents evidencing multi-crore scam of Adarsh Society, where ex-Chief Ministers and several politicians were indicted.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • rehna, Mangalore

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    Vow: MERA BAHARAT MAHAN Yesterday was BBMP- Today MUMBAI - Tomorrow ??????
    All the documents get destroyed. Kalmadi,Raja and all the culprits will be scot Free

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • nagesh nayak, bangalore

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    HEY, ISMAIL.K.PERINJE, PERINJE-YANBU/KSA,

    YOUR PRANAB DADA PUT A BLAZE IN ALL COMMON MAN , POOR & MIDDLE CLASS HOUSES BY PRESENTING UNSUCCESSFULL BUDGETS.

    RUPEE VALUE IS NOW @ 57 PER DOLLAR.

    GDP @ LOWEST IN THE HISTORY OF INDIA.

    PRICES ARE SOARING .

    YOUR PUPPET IS NOT OPENING HIS MOUTH .

    NOW GREATER THREAT FOR INDIA i.e. YOUR DADA ELVATED TO PRESIDENT .

    ISMAIL, YOUR ITALIAN LED CONGRESS AGENDA ARE:

    1. LOOT MONEY & SUPPORT , PRAISE ITALIAN , NO ENQUIRY.

    2. MAKE SCAMS & FIRE FILES . NOTHING TO WORRY.

    JAI HO.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ullas, Mangalore

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    MH Govt is one of the Most corrupt govt India. Number of corruption cases are with the Ministers & MLA's of the ruling party. They even destroyed Chief Secretaries office as well. For u only Karnataka Govt is corrupt, but the fact is that The Govt of Rajastan, Delhi, AP are ruled by Congress. These govts having lot of Corruption cases. One important fact is Indian govt is dictating by a foreigner, she dont know what is Indian history. Before 1947 indian freedom struggle for "Videshi shaktion ko hatao... But todays tragedy all indians knows.....we are under the rule of uneducated Italian...Jai Ho....

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjeev Kamath, Udupi / Bahrain

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    None of the minister was in Mantralaya along with them out were the senior officials. The fire engines just about half a kilometer away took 2 hours to reach. The fire brigade water jets are directed towards the smoke emanating from other rooms while the fire blissfully devoured all the land related files.What was saved at the end of it was national flag atop the building by four patriotic class IV employees. Everyone in Nariman Point has one word - "Adarsh/Lavasa Ghotala"

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dinesh shetty, Mumbai

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    All the illegal files have been reduced to ash. You wont hear of any scams for sometime.Good for Maharashtra State ! God is really GREAT !

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • ISMAIL.K.PERINJE, PERINJE-YANBU/KSA

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    Mr Lavin N.Baharin... coincidentally there was fire in V.Souda, Forest Ministry office due to "SHORT CIRCUIT"Any comments from Nagesh?

    DisAgree [5] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Evans Christopher Sumitra, Udupi/New York, USA

    Fri, Jun 22 2012

    This is a job done by an insider to get rid of some important and vital documents like the Adarsh scam files and many more. This fire was definitely done on purpose. Don't they have fire sprinklers in the building or if they had one was it not working. The government should probe and punish the offenders. It is surprising that it happened during office hours.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • murthy, mangalore/dubai

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    Now where are these timid guys in congress...like Digvijay sing, manish tiwari.....etc. They never dare to comment against Maharastra government.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • VINCENT CASTELINO, Pernal / Mumbai

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    ISMAIL.K.PERINJE-YANBU/KSA, You have given a fitting reply to the peolple who "point finger" at others but sadly forget to see that there are more fingers pointed towards that same person by himself.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ronald D, Udupi

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    Nagesh....put fire on yeddy files so that Karnataka is corruption free!! Do not take perticular corrupt sides!! Fight against all corruption without SC/ ST reservation!

    DisAgree [2] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lavin Noronha, Paladka/Bahrain

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    @nagesh nayak, bangalore, you are right it is not only mumbai, no one is safe in india. Tommorw this fire can engulf every manthralays including our vidana soudha. No gaurantee... even there are so many files... good precedent for all politicians. Be corrupt and burn the evidence. Isnt it?

    DisAgree [2] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • ravi, mangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    ISMAIL.K.PERINJE, PERINJE-YANBU/KSA..
    "CBI sources claim they have the relevant copies of the Kargil for profit files, but top sources confirm that original files have been destroyed"..
    dnt mislead the readers..

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • shyam, mangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    ISMAIL.K.PERINJE..
    if fire can break in cms office which is to be protected by fire measures..that people can easily create virus to distroy any internet data...
    what we can expect from people who finds ajmal skasab action as innconet studneet?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.fernandes, Dubai

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    When congress leaders are involved in Adarsh scam,why the file will be there in chief ministers office? I don't think this file is stored as a single copy. Some comments are very strange.
    As far as Nagesh Nayak is concerned, he spews venom wherever possible to uphold his name. May be his parents knew at his birth only.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Pappu Desai, Adyar/Vadodara

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    I won't think fire erupted to destroy files of Adarsh Scam. It's just for renovation of Sachivalaya/Mantralaya with new look. What will happen for files of Coal Scam amounting around more than one lakh crores?.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Satish Kumar, mangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    nagesh nayak, bangalore you are right TOMORROW THEY WILL NOT HASITATE TO PUT FIRE ON WHOLE INDIA .

    DisAgree [19] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • ISMAIL.K.PERINJE, PERINJE-YANBU/KSA

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    Nagesh Nayak......don't worry for the files we are living in internet age.Apart from that there are copies of all important files in another departments..What you feared about Adarsh scam files were with CBI and FYI information,CBI, confirmed also(TOI).

    What is not going to my BEJA is when BBMP file room was under fire and probably gutted all scam files of BBMP, we did not see you crying..why?

    As far as your first comment concerned,fire not discriminates like you and your party does.So it is an accident or sabotage, the investigation will reveal.

    DisAgree [17] Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jaimini P.B., Manipal,Sharjah

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    S A M P O O R N A S W A H A ..

    M I S S I O N C O M P L E T E D..

    DisAgree [2] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • SHASHI, CANADA

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    INCREDIBLE..ONLY 10% OF THE EMPLOYEE WAS INSIDE WHEN THE FIRE TOOK PLACE....THE CHIEF MINISTER WAS NOWHERE NEAR IT.....THIS MUST BE DELIBERATE..ALL THE ADARSH SCAM FILES IS BURNT AND NO RECORDS WHATSOVER....CLEVER CONSPIRACY BY THE INSIDERS....FINALLY THE BUILDING WOULD BE REBUILT WITH TAX PAYERS MONEY....POSH TOILET WITH SPLIT A/C...JAI JO INDIA.....AND YOU PEOPLE JUST WATCH IT ON NEWS CHANNEL.....THE BENEFICIARY MUST BE LAUGHING SITTING IN DELHI..

    DisAgree [3] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • nagesh nayak, bangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    ALL ADARSHA FILES & OTHER SCAM FILES ARE GUTTED .

    THIS IS THE CONSPIRACY OF ITALIAN LED CONGRESS GOVT.

    TOMORROW THEY WILL NOT HASITATE TO PUT FIRE ON WHOLE INDIA .

    SHAMELESS , BRAINLESS ITALIAN LED CONGRESS SUPPORTERS ARE HIDING IN RAT HOLES.

    DisAgree [57] Agree [37] Reply Report Abuse

  • abdul samad, mangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    ITS MAY BE PRE PLANNED...?

    DisAgree [5] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dexter, Abu Dhabi

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    Gone, now people who have paid bribe to move their file will have to pay it again and those who have not paid and waited for long years will have to wait even more long.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rosario Fernandes, Kallianpur/Goa/usa

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    Very sad news, luckilly no casualties reported so far.
    However, its a very good news for many. Since the CM & Deputy CM's offices are located their, some important files also must be there.
    For example Adarsh scam file. May be all records,evidences destoyed in fire. All scams dismissed for lack of evidences.
    MERA BHARAT MAHAAN.

    DisAgree Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • L SALDANHA, mangalore/ bahrain

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    HOW CONVENIENT. NOW ALL THE ADARSH SCAM FILES AND OTHER POLITICALLY INCONVENIENT FILES WILL DISAPPEAR WITHOUT A TRACE. MUST BE AN INSIDE JOB.

    DisAgree Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Avinash, Udupi

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    May be Adarsh Society scam files are burnt like B.B.M.C.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Avinash, Udupi

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    May be Adarsh Society scam files are burnt like B.B.M.C.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.Bhandarkar., M

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    To cook something as is done in these offices you need such 'fires'.
    Hope Babban, Chagan. Chavan and everybody in the building have had a safe exit.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr S Kamath, Mumbai

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    As per news report It was in this 4th floor that all Adarsh case related files were located and the minister says all of them in meeting nobody around the fire .Appears to be a sabotage to hushup Adarsh case

    DisAgree [5] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rahul, Mangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    Everytime this Politicians will not be at the place of any accident... so it was not necessary to mention Luckily...

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • nagesh nayak, bangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    WHEN THERE IS NO SAFETY FOR CM OFFICE WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF COMMAN MAN IN MUMBAI.

    COMMENT PLEASE.

    DisAgree [15] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Pradeepguru, Mangalore

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    These buggers are giving "fire safety" cirtificate siting in those buildings...may be they gave the fire themself to burn the documents..horible Politicians of India.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjeev Kamath, Udupi / Bahrain

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    Caught fire are only the documents evidencing multi-crore scam of Adarsh Society, where ex-Chief Ministers and several politicians were indicted.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Agnel DSilva, Dubai

    Thu, Jun 21 2012

    We can expect here all the files and documents related for Adarsh Housing and others scams will be destoryed !! creative way :)

    DisAgree [1] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Mumbai: 16 Injured as Mantralaya Fire Rages, All Rescued



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