What was first classified as a minor level-1 fire later escalated into a level-5 blaze at Mumbai's City Centre Mall resulting in an urgent, precautional evacuation of 3,500 residents from an adjacent 55-storey residential building.
Almost 10 hours after the blaze started, around 250 firefighters, 24 fire engines, and 16 water tankers are still working to put out the conflagration.
Videos of thick black smoke surrounding the mall on Friday morning have gone viral on social media.
Nearly 300 people were rescued in time from the mall building soon after the fire broke out. Two firefighters have sustained minor injuries, one of which was due to suffocation. Both were rushed to a local hospital.
At present, the exact cause of the fire remains unknown.