Massive Fire At Mumbai ED Office Building Doused After 12 Hours, Several Documents Destroyed

Mumbai: Mumbai witnessed a scare in the early hours of Sunday when a massive fire erupted at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office located in the historic Kaiser-I-Hind building at Ballard Estate. The blaze, which started around 2:30 am, took over 12 hours to extinguish, officials confirmed. According to fire department authorities, the flames intensified rapidly and escalated to a Level III emergency by 4:21 am. Thankfully, since it was a weekend and the offices were closed, no casualties or injuries were reported.

The fire was mainly concentrated on the fourth and mezzanine floors of the building, where piles of furniture and official files provided ample fuel for the flames. Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar noted that thick smoke trapped inside due to poor ventilation complicated the firefighting efforts, forcing teams to smash windows and break down doors to gain access.

A large-scale operation involving eight fire engines, six water jetties, tankers, and specialized equipment was launched to tackle the blaze. It wasn’t until around 2:10 pm that the fire was fully brought under control. Despite the absence of injuries, the damage to property was extensive. Authorities have confirmed that several critical documents and office equipment belonging to the ED were destroyed or severely damaged.

Preliminary findings suggest a short circuit may have triggered the fire. A senior police officer stated that a panchnama (official assessment) is being conducted as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident. Fire officials also mentioned that a formal probe is underway to determine the exact cause.

The loss of important documents in the fire has raised concerns about the potential impact on ongoing ED investigations.