Mumbai fire brigade douses Bandra mall fire after over 22 hours

MUMBAI: A major fire that broke out at Link Square Mall in Mumbai’s upscale Bandra West area was finally brought under control after more than 22 hours of continuous firefighting, civic officials said on Wednesday.
The blaze began around 4.10 am on Tuesday in the basement of the mall located on Linking Road and was fully extinguished by 1.41 am on Wednesday. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Initially confined to an electronics showroom, the flames rapidly spread across all three floors of the mall, which houses over 200 shops and commercial units. The entire structure was gutted.
By 6.25 am, the Mumbai Fire Brigade classified it as a ‘Level IV’ (major) fire and launched a large-scale operation. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also joined the firefighting efforts. In total, 13 fire engines and several other emergency vehicles were deployed.
Fire brigade chief Ravindra Ambulgekar confirmed an official inquiry has been launched. He noted that the mall was filled with combustible materials and had obstructed access, making firefighting extremely challenging. Partition walls and mesh shutters also facilitated the spread of fire and smoke between shops.
While the cause of the blaze remains unknown, political leaders have raised concerns. Former MLA Zeeshan Siddique blamed the fire brigade for delays, while BJP minister Ashish Shelar directed the civic chief to order a comprehensive probe.
This incident comes just two days after a separate fire broke out at a building housing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Ballard Estate.