12 killed in major fire in Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 18: At least twelve people were killed and half-a-dozen feared trapped in a major fire that engulfed a shop in Andheri east area early Monday morning.

According to the BMC Disaster Control, the fire broke around 0430 hrs on the ground floor of the 'Bhanu Farsan' shop on Khairani Road, near Laxmi Narayan Temple of Sakinaka.
At least 12 people were trapped in the loft, which later collapsed due to the heat. 
All of them were pulled out from under the debris but were declared brought dead, said Dr Shital, assistant medical officer, Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar.
The fire quickly spread to electric wiring, huge stock of eatables, cloth sheets and furniture, trapping many of the workers employed in the shop, said the shop proprietor.
The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, but around five to six workers managed to escape to safety, eyewitnesses said.
People sleeping inside the shop got trapped, while those sleeping outside escaped unhurt, police said. 
Three fire-tenders, four jumbo water tankers and ambulances fought the blaze which was extinguished within a few minutes, but left a huge trail of deaths and destruction.
Police have launched a probe to investigate into the matter. UNI