Rooftop restaurant in mumbai on fire: at least 14 dead

A fire in a popular nightclub in the indian metropolis of mumbai has claimed the lives of at least 14 people. More than 30 were injured, according to police, some of them seriously.

The fire broke out on friday shortly after midnight (local time) in the roof garden restaurant of the multi-storey building and spread very quickly over the complex.

Around 150 people were brought to safety from the burning building, local media reported. Most of the victims were women between the ages of 20 and 35 who were at a birthday party at the rooftop restaurant, he says. The 28-year-old hostess was also killed, the times of india newspaper reported.

The building is located in the kamala mills district, a redeveloped commercial area with elegant restaurants and department stores. According to police, the fire started from a fabric and bamboo tent structure in the rooftop garden, which caught fire for unknown reasons. Investigators accuse the owners of the pub of violating fire safety regulations. There were no fire extinguishers or emergency exits.

An eyewitness who was in the building during the fire reported that the building was engulfed in flames "within seconds". There was a mass panic. "I still don’t know how I got out of there alive," wrote sulbha arora. According to police, many of the victims tried to find shelter from the flames in the toilets. In this way they have been included. Cause of death was in all cases smoke poisoning, as it was reported by a hospital heb.

The police opened an investigation on suspicion of culpable homicide and arrested two people. In addition, five city officials were suspended for allegedly negligently issuing permits.