Mumbai: Dharavi fire doused after three-hour operation

According to the Mumbai Police, the fire caused explosions in the cylinders. PIC/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI

The blaze that broke out in a truck carrying gas cylinders in the Dharavi area of Mumbai on Monday night has been doused, said civic officials. No injuries were reported in the incident.

According to the latest information by the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the Level-2 (significant) blaze, was doused at 12.44am on Monday, after a three-hour operation.

Civic officials reported that the incident occurred at Nature Park in PNGP Colony on Sion-Dharavi Link Road. The fire was confined to liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders stored in a truck.

The incident was first reported at 9.50 pm, the officials said. After receiving information, the Mumbai Fire Brigade and civic officials rushed to the spot and launched a fire-fighting operation.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that upon receiving the alert, fire brigade responded quickly and had initially declared the blaze as Level-I (minor) fire at 10.06 pm, but it was later upgraded to Level-2 fire at 10.07 pm.

The fire department, along with local police, traffic police, and a 108 ambulance, were rushed to the spot to control the situation.

According to the Mumbai Police, the fire caused explosions in the cylinders.

The police said that around three to four other vehicles parked next to the burning truck were also damaged owing to the fire. The truck driver's identity has been established, and authorities are in the process of detaining him for further questioning.

A total of 19 fire trucks from the fire brigade were deployed to bring the fire under control. Senior police officers, including the Senior Police Inspector from Dharavi Police Station and the Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police from Zone 5, were present at the spot during the relief and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, due to the major fire in a gas cylinder truck near the Dharavi depot, the road was closed for traffic as a precautionary measure. As a result, several Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus routes had been diverted on Monday night, the undertaking said in a statement.

These included the BEST bus routes number 7, 22, 25, A25, 312, 341, 411, and 302, which were being operated from Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Dharavi T Junction.