Maharashtra secretariat in blaze

Anil Joshi, under secretary  in Secretariat general administration department  works on the 7th floor, was informed of the fire on his cell phone. He reports that  more than 95 per cent of the employees have been evacuated, but saw a  number of people stranded on the 4th, 5th and 6th floor of the building.

Joshi said he and other employees of his department ran down the stairs to safety, but faced breathing problems as they ran down the staircase because of the thick smoke.

Mantralaya engulfed with fire at 1.50 PM that spreads to CM's cabin media reports confirms that the fire broke out at NCP minister Babanrao Pachpute's office. Eight  fire tender  have rushed to the spot and battling the blaze  so far, there are no reports of any casualties. Maharashtra Chief Secretary has ordered immediate evacuation of the entire building. Pachpute said the fire has spread to the Chief Minister's office on the sixth floor.

The state secretariat is called Mantralaya, which is in south Mumbai near Marine Drive. Minister of Forests Patangrao Kadam speaking to e channel said the CM Prithviraj Chavan was not in the building.

The fire started from the fourth floor houses the urban development department. The chief minister's office is in the sixth floor of the same building. No reports of anyone injured as yet. Fire breaks out in the ministry of forests at Mantralaya:The fourth floor  in which the fire broke out has an office of  Babanrao Panchphute, who is the minister of forests.

Smoke bellowing out of the fourth floor. The fire broke out and is yet to be contained. Mantralaya fire alarm system obsolete Major fire at 4th floor of Maharashtra secretariat:A major fire has broken out on the fourth floor of the Maharashtra secretariat, Mantralaya. Three ambulances and eight fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. The building has been evacuated.