Lower Parel bldg catches fire

MUMBAI: A six-storeyed commercial complex at Raghuvanshi Mills Compound in Lower Parel was witness to a raging fire on Tuesday morning. There were no casualties, however a fire officer was injured. The second floor of the structure, Prathamesh Towers, suffered the maximum damages.
"A probe is still on to find out the exact cause of the fire. We will be sending another team there on Wednesday.There were two offices on the second floor covering an area of around 4,500 sq ft. Both the firms lost a lot of office equipment as well as electronic items like computers to the fire. The blaze did not spread to other floors,'' deputy chief fire officer U K Tatkare said.
The building houses many offices like that of the Sri Lankan Airlines and a medical centre. It also has a car showroom in the basement. "The fire originated at Jupiter Oxychem," officials said, adding that the blaze later spread to Sri Lankan Airlines office, also on the second floor.
"As the structure houses offices, which open for business only after 9.30 am, there were few people in the building when the fire started. By the time I came here, this place was swarming with police vans and fire brigade vehicles. No one from our office was injured,'' said a car showroom employee.
A fireman said, "We brought the situation under control soon but faced a lot of difficulties as the visibility was poor."
Some firemen had to break the glass windows on the second floor to let the smoke out.
"People in the medical centre, which is located on the first floor, had a miraculous escape due to quick thinking by one of the patients. After the patient raised an alarm, we immediately evacuated all those who were present in the heart care centre. No one was injured,'' said a doctor from the centre.
"One of our fire officers suffered a burn injury but he has been discharged after preliminary medical treatment,'' said Tatkare.