Fire erupts in Mumbai high-rise; none hurt, over 50 people rescued from upper floors
Mumbai, Feb 28 (PTI): More than 50 people stranded on the upper floors of a 57-storey residential building were rescued after a fire broke out in the high-rise in south Mumbai's Byculla area on Friday morning, officials said.
There was no report of casualty in the blaze that erupted around 10.45 am on the 42nd floor in one of the twin buildings of Salette 27 on Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, an official from the fire brigade said.
Teams from the Fire Brigade, Mumbai civic utility BEST, police, 108 ambulance services, and other agencies were mobilised immediately, an official said, adding the cause of the blaze was yet to be ascertained.
After more than two-and-a-half hours of efforts, the Fire Brigade doused the blaze on the 42nd floor of the high-rise building around 1.10 pm, he informed.
They also rescued 50 to 60 people who were stranded on the upper floors of the high-rise with the help of the building's security guards, said the official.
The blaze was confined to electric wires, furniture, and other materials in a 2,500-square-foot room on the affected floor. The building's fire fighting system was operational and this helped in controlling the flames in time, he added.
Plumes of thick black smoke emanating from the partial glass facade of the building were visible from afar.
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11-year-old dies by suicide after sexual assault in Bareilly; accused arrested
Bareilly (UP) (PTI): A 26-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl, who later died by suicide due to trauma, police said on Wednesday.
The post-mortem report confirmed sexual assault and multiple injuries on the minor's body, including bite marks and nail scratches. The cause of death was found to be hanging, they said.
According to ASP (South) Anshika Verma, the incident came to light on 27 April, when the girl, a Class 8 student, was found hanging at her home in Deoria Abdullaganj village under the Mirganj police station area. Initially, the family reported the death as suicide and was reluctant to pursue police action.
"The autopsy report changed the course of the investigation. It confirmed sexual assault and noted severe physical trauma. The cause of death was confirmed as hanging," Verma said.
A breakthrough in the case came from the statement of the victim's younger sister, who told police that the accused, Zeeshan (26), a resident of the same village, frequently loitered near the minor's school and allegedly gave her small sums of money to keep his interactions with her a secret, she said.
Police said that on the day of the incident, the accused allegedly lured the minor and assaulted her. Distressed by the incident, the child later took her own life while her mother was away, police said.
"Based on technical surveillance, CCTV footage, and statements from the family, we established Zeeshan's involvement. He was arrested near the Mirganj weekly market on Tuesday," they said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
