4 dead, 16 hospitalised as fire breaks out at Crystal Tower in Mumbai

At least four people have been reported killed and 16 injured in a huge fire which immersed a residential tower in Mumbai's Parel region on Wednesday.

The fire broke out on the 12th floor of the residential building, reports said. Crystal tower has a total of sixteen floors. 

The building Crystal Tower is near Hindmata Cinema in Parel.

The blaze has been brought under control and cooling operations are underway, officials said.

The fire brigade control room got a message at 8.32 am about the blaze. The smoke from the raging fire spread rapidly, trapping the residents in the stairs, Mumbai Fire Brigade chief P S Rahangdale said.

At least 20 people suffered from suffocation due to the smoke. They were rushed to the nearby KEM Hospital, where four of them, including a woman, were declared brought dead, the city civic body said in a statement.

The 16 injured, including six women, were undergoing treatment and their condition was reported to be stable, it said.

Two of the deceased were identified as Bablu Shaikh (36) and Shubhada Shelke (62), the civic body said.

The smoke spread through the building's staircases and lifts were not used as a precautionary measure. Snorkel ladders were used to rescue residents stranded in the building, an official in the fire brigade control room here said.

Some persons were still feared to be trapped in the building, he said.

Ten fire engines, four water tankers, officials of the Mumbai Police and electrical mechanics were at the spot, he said.

The cause of the fire will be known after an inquiry, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)