One fire brigade personnel suffocated to death and 20 others were injured when a major fire broke out on the top two floors of a 22-storey commercial building in suburban Mumbai, this morning. However, two choppers of Indian Navy and Coast Guard successfully rescued over a dozen firemen trapped on the terrace of Lotus Business Park in Andheri, after the fire they doused, started again.

This morning, a major fire broke out on the 21st floor of commercial building Lotus Park on Andheri Link in Mumbai, which houses production units of many TV serials and motion pictures. The fire was so big that it soon spread to the floors above and below and gusty winds made it difficult to control it.

The Disaster Management Cell of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation informed that though the fire has been completely brought under control, cooling process was on at the building. The exact reason of fire is not yet known. The BMC official informed that some 22 fire tenders and 10 water tankers were pressed into service to quell the blaze while 4 ambulances were stationed at spot to carry the injured. Of the 20 injured firemen initially admitted at Copper Hospital here, 4 firemen are likely to be sent to Burns Hospital at Airoli in Navi Mumbai.

The BMC officials informed that dead fire fighter named Nitin Hirlekar was attached to Borivali Fire station in Mumbai. The BMC has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 15 lakh to the family of dead fire fighter.

The Indian Navy deployed a Seeking Charlie helicopter and the Coastguard a Chetak to rescue the firemen stranded on terrace after the fire brigade asked for aerial help.