Mumbai: A fire broke out on the 12th floor of a posh high-rise residential building in Dadar today morning, killing four residents and injuring 16, fire officials said.

Dozens of people were rescued from different floors of the 17-storey Crystal Tower building near Hindmata Cinema. Many residents who were trapped were evacuated using a crane.

The residential building is located near Hindmata Cinema in Parel. The fire has been classified as Level-2.

The blaze has been brought under control and cooling operations are under way, officials said.

The fire brigade control room got a message at 8:32 am about the blaze on the 12th floor. The smoke from the raging fire spread rapidly, trapping the residents in the stairs, Mumbai fire brigade chief P.S. Rahangdale said.

Authorities have begun an investigation to find out what led to the fire. "Criminal offence will be declared ... The building will be labelled as unsafe and it will be evacuated. The fire sprinkles were not working at all," Rahangdale added.

Sixteen people suffered from suffocation due to the smoke. They were rushed to the nearby KEM Hospital, where two of them were declared brought dead, the city civic body said in a statement.

The smoke spread through the building's staircases and lifts were not used as a precautionary measure. Snorkel ladders were used to rescue residents stranded in the building, an official in the fire brigade control room here said.

Ten fire engines, four water tankers, officials of the Mumbai Police and electrical mechanics were at the spot, he said.

The cause of the fire will be known after an inquiry, he said.

(PTI)

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