MUMBAI: As many as 27 residents were safely evacuated after a fire broke out in an 18-storey residential building in Andheri (West) on Saturday afternoon, filling the premises with thick smoke and triggering panic. A 27-year-old resident and three firemen sustained minor injuries, for which they are undergoing treatment.
iMumbai, India – January 03, 2026: Fire broken out at Chandiwala Pearl Regency, Andheri West in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, January 03, 2025. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)
The fire erupted around 2.35 pm on the first floor of Chandiwala Pearl Regency, located on SV Road, and was completely extinguished by 4.35 pm. Fire officials said the blaze originated from the electrical duct on the first floor and quickly spread up to the fourth floor, sending dense black smoke through the building’s lobbies and common passages.
Samreen Shaikh, 27, was rushed to Cooper Hospital in Juhu after she complained of suffocation. Three firemen, Uday Gize, 45; Aaksha Kasale, 31; and Amola Kanolkar, 41, were injured while extinguishing the fire. While Shaikh was discharged in the evening, the firemen are undergoing treatment in the casualty ward of Cooper Hospital and are in a stable condition, officials said.
Of the total 27 evacuated residents, nine residents, five men and four women, were rescued from the third and fourth floors using fire escape ladders, while another 18 were guided to safety through the staircase.
The blaze caused damage to electrical wiring, installations and false ceilings, particularly impacting a gymnasium operating on the first floor. Firefighters were also forced to break open the door of Flat No. 305 to rescue residents trapped inside.
“The smoke spread rapidly across the lobby, creating panic. The building is relatively new and its firefighting systems were functional, which helped in containing the fire,” said deputy chief fire officer Prakash Sakpal.
The firefighting operation involved a massive deployment, including multiple fire engines, water tankers, aerial water tower tenders, turntable ladders, a hydraulic platform, smoke control vehicles and breathing apparatus vans.
No fatalities were reported. Civic officials said a detailed assessment of the damage is underway, while the exact cause of the fire is being investigated.