A fire broke out on Friday afternoon at Chandiwala Pearl Regency, a stilt-plus-18-storey residential tower on S V Road in Andheri West, Mumbai. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) received the first report at 2:10pm and mobilised several fire tenders and emergency teams to the scene.
Andheri West fire Mumbai response and containment
By 2:37pm the MFB had declared the incident a Level-I fire. Firefighters found that the blaze was confined to an electric duct that runs from the first to the tenth floor, which caused smoke to lodge inside the building. Teams worked to isolate the affected duct, ventilate common areas and prevent further spread.
Alongside the MFB, Mumbai Police, staff from the relevant electricity distribution company, 108 ambulance services and BMC ward staff were on site. DN Nagar police and fire brigade officials coordinated evacuation efforts while electricity teams assessed risks related to the building’s wiring and supply.
Authorities evacuated 27 residents from the first, second and third floors as a precaution. One resident was taken to Cooper Hospital after suffering from suffocation caused by smoke inhalation. Officials later confirmed that no injuries had been reported.
Firefighting crews focused on extinguishing smouldering material within the duct and conducting smoke ventilation to clear stairwells and corridors. BMC staff and electricity personnel worked together to ensure lifts were isolated and power was managed safely while operations continued.
Background and recent local incidents
Officials noted a similar Level-I fire in the Andheri area last month, on 25 December, when a blaze at Sorrento Tower on Veera Desai Road was traced to electrical wiring within an electric shaft between the 10th and 21st floors. In that incident, firefighters reported damage to routers, shoe racks and wooden furniture near the shaft on multiple floors. The recurrence of electrical-duct fires has prompted renewed attention to building maintenance and the storage of combustible materials close to service shafts.
The MFB said investigations would examine the immediate cause, including any faults in wiring or electrical installations, as well as whether storage of combustible items within or near the duct contributed to the smoke and spread. Representatives from the electricity distribution company remained at the site to help determine if supply faults played a role.
Residents and local ward staff praised the speed of the emergency response. “The crews arrived quickly and coordinated the evacuation efficiently,” one resident said. Emergency officials reiterated standard safety advice, urging residents to avoid storing materials near electric ducts and to keep corridors and service shafts clear.
For now, firefighting and smoke clearance continue while authorities work to restore normalcy. The BMC and MFB indicated they would share further updates once investigations conclude and the building is declared safe for full reoccupation.
Key Takeaways:
- Andheri West fire Mumbai was confined to an electric duct from the 1st to the 10th floor; the Mumbai Fire Brigade declared a Level-I fire.
- Multiple fire tenders, police, electricity staff and ambulance services were mobilised and 27 residents were evacuated.
- One resident was taken to Cooper Hospital with smoke-related suffocation; no injuries reported.
- Firefighting and smoke ventilation operations remain underway while authorities investigate the cause.
