A significant fire erupted on Thursday morning in a high-rise residential building in Mumbai's Andheri West area, leading to a major rescue operation by emergency services. The blaze caused dense smoke to spread through the building, leaving numerous residents trapped on the upper floors.
Timeline of the Emergency
The incident occurred at Sorrento Tower, a ground-plus-23-storey structure located on Veera Desai Road near the Country Club. Authorities received the first alert at approximately 10:05 am when the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) control room was notified. Firefighters arrived swiftly at the scene and, by 10:20 am, had classified the incident as a Level-I fire.
While the flames were contained to the 14th floor, smoke travelled upwards, affecting the higher levels of the building. This smoke logging created a hazardous situation for residents above the fire's origin point.
Multi-Agency Rescue Effort
A coordinated response was immediately launched involving multiple agencies. Teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, local police, Adani Electricity, 108 ambulance services, and civic staff from the local ward were all mobilised to manage the crisis.
Fire personnel focused on two critical tasks: rescue operations to evacuate stranded individuals and ventilation operations to clear the toxic smoke from the building's stairwells and corridors. Their efforts proved successful, with officials confirming to news agency PTI that over 40 residents had been safely rescued as operations continued.
Current Status and Investigation
In a positive update provided at 10:43 am, fire officials confirmed that no injuries or casualties had been reported. The situation remained under active control, with operations ongoing and being closely monitored.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. Investigators will examine the scene once it is fully safe to do so to determine what sparked the blaze on the 14th floor of Sorrento Tower. Further details are awaited as the emergency response transitions into an investigation phase.
