'Death toll in Mumbai mall fire rises to 10; three bodies yet to be identified': BMC

The BrihanMumbai Municipal corporation (BMC) on Friday said that the death toll in a fire incident in Bhandup area rose to 10. The civic agency also said that three bodies are yet to be identified.

Earlier in the day, the BMC expressed "deepest condolences" on Twitter to the families of those who were killed in the incident. It also said that the firefighting operation is still under progress.

The fire broke out on the first floor of the Dreams mall just before midnight, and also affected the Sunrise hospital located on the top floor of the building. The BMC earlier said that there were two related deaths, but the hospital in a statement said that those were not linked to the fire incident.

"There were two dead bodies (due to Covid) which were also evacuated. There was no casualty due to fire," the hospital said in a statement on Friday morning.

"The smoke reached the hospital located at the top floor. All fire alarms beeped and hence all patients were safely evacuated due to the smoke to the fire refuge area," the statement further said. The police said that 70 patients were evacuated.

The hospital said it is grateful to Mumbai fire brigade and the police "for helping us save lives".

The police said that it was a 'level four' fire (serious emergency call) and they are trying to ascertain its cause.

Twenty fire engines, 15 water tankers and ambulances were rushed to the spot. Fire fighting operation is underway, the official said.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar who visited the site expressed surprise that a hospital was operating inside the mall.

"I have seen a hospital at a mall for the first time," the mayor said, adding action will be taken if irregularities were found in allowing the facility to operate there.

The hospital, on its part said that it is functioning with all due compliances like fire licence, nursing and home licence.

A civic official said the BMC had issued notice to the mall in November last year for allegedly flouting fire safety norms, news agency PTI reported. Former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Sanjay Dina Patil said he also wrote to the BMC commissioner last year drawing the civic body's attention to the flouting of fire safety norms there.