Fire breaks out at Mumbai Income Tax office, dozens rescued

The building houses several Income Tax departments and offices of the Central Bureau of Investigation. A cooperative bank for Income Tax employees, which is celebrating its centenary, is also located in the basement.The blaze broke out in the basement of the seven-storey structure, prompting emergency services to launch a rapid evacuation operation to safely rescue employees and citizens stranded due to heavy smoke. (PTI Photo) A fire broke out in the basement of the seven-storey Income Tax Office building at Churchgate in south Mumbai on Monday afternoon, filling the premises with smoke and prompting a large-scale evacuation.Mumbai Fire Brigade personnel rescued several people, including women, from different floors and the terrace using staircases and specialised ladders. Most of those inside escaped safely, officials said.The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said police, Income Tax officials and security personnel were checking whether anyone was missing or injured.“An inquiry is underway with the police, Income Tax officers and security staff regarding missing or injured persons,” the civic body said. The building houses several Income Tax departments and offices of the Central Bureau of Investigation. A cooperative bank for Income Tax employees, which is celebrating its centenary, is also located in the basement.SMOKE SPREAD THROUGH BUILDINGThe fire broke out at around 2 pm, leaving the basement and other parts of the building heavily smoke-logged. Officials said smoke spread rapidly through the central air-conditioning system as the building’s windows were closed. Firefighters later broke windowpanes and used smoke extractors to ventilate the premises.The basement houses strong rooms and stored material and was completely filled with smoke, officials said.According to the Fire Brigade, 15 people were rescued from the first three floors and brought safely to the ground floor through a staircase.Another five to six people were evacuated from the first floor using an Angus ladder. Eight people who had taken shelter on the terrace were brought down using a turntable ladder.An Income Tax employee said he was having lunch on the fifth floor when people heard a commotion after the fire broke out. He said employees escaped through the rear of the building as smoke spread rapidly.LEVEL-II FIRE DECLAREDThe Mumbai Fire Brigade classified the blaze as a level-II fire at around 2.45 pm, indicating a more serious incident.At least eight fire engines and several other firefighting vehicles were deployed at the site.Assistant Commissioner of Police Nilesh Bagul, citing information from Income Tax officials, said around 1,800 employees worked in the building.According to the BMC, the fire was confined to the basement and affected electrical wiring and installations, records stored in cabins, scrap and discarded documents, paper stock, wooden partitions and other material spread across 7,000 to 8,000 square feet.Firefighters used multiple high-pressure and hose lines to tackle the blaze. They also deployed 20 breathing apparatus sets while carrying out rescue and ventilation operations.- EndsPublished On: Aug 17, 2026 23:30 IST