Major Fire Erupts in Andheri West High-Rise
A serious fire broke out on Thursday morning in a tall residential building located in Mumbai's bustling Andheri West area. The blaze, which started around 10 am, caused significant panic among the residents of the 23-storey Sorrento Tower on Veera Desai Road, near the Country Club.
Emergency services responded swiftly to the incident, managing to rescue approximately 40 individuals from the engulfed structure. The timely action by the fire brigade and other authorities prevented any loss of life.
Rescue Operation and Evacuation Details
According to officials, the rescue mission was executed with precision. A civic official stated that between 30 to 40 people were safely brought down from the 16th floor using the building's staircase. In a separate operation, three more individuals, including one woman, were evacuated from the 15th floor. Firefighters used breathing apparatus to reach and safely bring down these residents.
The fire caused extensive damage to the building's infrastructure. It severely affected the electrical shaft wiring and other components located between the 10th and 21st floors. Additionally, routers, shoe racks, and wooden furniture placed near the duct on various floors were destroyed. The flames gutted the 12th, 13th, and 14th floors of the residential tower completely.
Filmmaker Sandeep Singh Safely Evacuated
Among those rescued was noted filmmaker Sandeep Singh, whose office and premises are situated on the heavily damaged 14th floor. Singh is known for producing acclaimed films such as 'Mary Kom' starring Priyanka Chopra, 'Sarbjit' with Aishwarya Rai, 'Aligarh' featuring Manoj Bajpayee, and Amitabh Bachchan's 'Jhund'.
In a show of support following the traumatic event, television stars Ankita Lokhande and her husband Vicky Jain, who are friends of the filmmaker, took Sandeep Singh to their home as a precautionary measure. This gesture came shortly after Singh had been discharged from Kokilaben Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for a hernia.
Fire Brought Under Control, Cause Unknown
The Mumbai Fire Brigade deployed a substantial force to combat the blaze, sending at least four fire engines and other essential equipment to the site. Their efforts were successful, and the fire was officially declared completely extinguished by 11:37 am.
However, the exact cause of the fire remains a mystery and is yet to be ascertained by the investigating officials. Authorities have confirmed that an inquiry is ongoing to determine what sparked the devastating incident in the Andheri high-rise.
