Maharashtra Mantralaya heroes risk life to save the Tricolour

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, June 22, 2012: As fire engulfed the Maharashtra Mantralaya building on Thursday, five brave men put their lives in danger to climb atop the towering inferno to lower the Tricolor. The men refused to come down till they had lowered the national flag.

As the fire spread, these men stood by the flag pole ready to protect it from the flames. The Triclour was hoisted at the Mantralaya office on Friday afternoon.

The massive fire that broke out at the Mantralaya building in Mumbai on Thursday night killed five people and injured as many as 14 others. The fire also gutted the offices of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the Chief Secretary and several other ministers.

Firefighters worked through the night on Thursday to bring the blaze under control. Several people are still believed to be missing.

Over 3,000 people were evacuated to safety and the focus now is on the cooling operation which will take about 48 hours.

The Chief secretary has directed the PWD to carry out structural audit once the building is declared safe by the fire department. The Maharashtra Chief Minister had called an emergency meeting on Friday.