Fire breaks out at shop inside Mumbai’s Churchgate railway station

A fire broke out at a shop inside the busy Churchgate railway station in south Mumbai on Thursday evening, triggering concerns among commuters during the peak hours.

No one was injured in the incident that was reported around 5.25 pm by the Western Railway, an official said.

The Mumbai fire brigade rushed its teams and firefighting equipment to the spot. Police and local civic staff were also mobilised to facilitate the firefighting operation, the civic official said.

The fire at the shop was doused within minutes, he said, adding that efforts are being made to ascertain the cause of the fire and the extent of damage.

However, daily commuters had a few anxious moments as the entire concourse of the busy suburban terminal station was smoke-clogged due to the fire.

“One could barely see the indicators as the entire place was filled with smoke, which was also billowing out of the Churchgate station. Police urged commuters to stay away from the area,” said a commuter.

One of the busiest suburban stations of the Western Railway, thousands of commuters board local trains from this terminus in the evening.