About 29 people were rescued after a fire broke out in Aayakar Bhavan on Maharshi Karve Road, Churchgate, around 2 p.m. The BMC has declared the incident as a Level 2 fire.

The fire was confined to the basement and ground floor of the 7-floor structure. The evacuation of stranded people in the upper floors is ongoing.

Fifteen people were rescued from the first, second and third floors and safely brought to the ground floor via the staircase. Another five to six people were rescued using the first-floor and Angus ladders. Eight people who had taken shelter on the terrace were brought down safely with the help of a turntable ladder (TTL).

The fire spread through electric wiring, electric installations, storage of records in cabins, scrap material, scrapped records, stock of papers, wooden partitions, and others.

Police, Income Tax officials and security personnel are conducting inquiries to ascertain whether anyone is missing or injured.

Published - August 17, 2026 06:03 pm IST