According to senior officials from Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the fire sparked in the electrical duct of the building and spread to the electric wiring and other installations through the duct between the fifteenth and the twentieth floors of the building.

“While prima facie the cause of the fire is believed to be a short circuit, the exact cause behind the defective electrical unit will be determined by the chief electrical officer. Meanwhile, we will also conduct our investigation on the exact cause and how the fire spread by speaking to the witnesses and through inspections,” said a senior MFB official.

Even as the fire remained confined to the electric duct, the smoke spread across the upper floors. Owing to this fire-induced smoke, four residents, including a senior citizen, sustained injuries due to suffocation.

The victims have been identified as Minaj Memon (41), Imran Memon (40), Iqbal Chunawala (71) and Nazima Chauhan (74). Of them, Chauhan has been admitted at the K J Care hospital while the rest have been taken to SBS hospital. According to medical officials, the condition of the victims is stable.

The fire was extinguished at 11.50 am on Wednesday as the fire brigade pressed two fire engines, alongside two jumbo tankers, one turn table ladder besides other fire-fighting equipment into service.

Meanwhile, according to the civic body, the city logged in over 10 cases of short-circuits across various locations between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, with the maximum number of cases recorded in western suburbs (4) followed by the eastern suburbs and the island city division where three cases each were recorded.