Mumbai Mantralaya fire: CM’s office gutted, Navy steps in

Mumbai - The major fire which engulfed Mantralaya - the seat of Maharashtra government - on Thursday afternoon is still not under control even as reports claimed that the office of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has been completely gutted.

The fire which started on the fourth floor has spread to the sixth floor which houses Chief Minister’s Office; luckily the CM was not in his office.

Many people were seeing dangerously clinging to the parapets on the 5th and 6th floor, trying to escape from the raging inferno.
 
TV visuals showed some of them attempting to slide down pipes and wires - putting their lives at risk. As per some reports, many Mantralaya employees are stuck on the roof of the building even as fire officials are putting in their best efforts to save them.

Indian Navy commandoes have also been pressed into the rescue operation. Specialist Marine Commandos have arrived with specialist equipment, besides the deployment of seeking helicopters.

The fire reportedly started from the cabin of Maharashtra tribal affairs minister Babanrao Pachpute located on the 4th floor at around 3 pm today afternoon. Pachupate is from the NCP.

The Mantralaya is the state secretariat and houses the offices of all ministers of the Maharashtra government.

From the fourth floor - which houses urban development and education departments – the fire spread to fifth and sixth floors of the building.

News channels smell a conspiracy as files relating to the Adarsh housing scam have reportedly been destroyed in the fire.

The landmark Mantralaya Building is located in the heart of South Mumbai very near to the Mumbai High Court.

Thousands of Mantralaya employees were seen standing outside as over 25 fire fighters battled the blaze, which was suspected to have been caused by a short-circuit

No casualties have been reported so far as the building was evacuated soon after fire was noticed.

The police have cordoned off the area and is in control of the situation.