Mumbai l
A major fire broke out at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office located in the Kaiser-I-Hind building at Ballard Estate, early Sunday morning. The blaze, which started around 2:31 AM, was finally brought under control by 2:10 PM after a prolonged 12-hour firefighting operation. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Damage and Cause
According to ED officials and Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) sources, the fire likely originated from a short circuit on the mezzanine floor, which is linked to the fourth floor — areas that housed administrative records and offices of senior ED officers, including the Mumbai Zonal Unit head.
The fire destroyed furniture, computers, and administrative documents, but initial assessments suggest that critical case records and servers were unaffected, as these are stored elsewhere and in digital formats.
Firefighting Challenges
Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar noted that poor ventilation inside the building significantly hampered firefighting efforts.
Firefighters had to break open doors and windows to gain entry and clear thick smoke.
The fire was escalated progressively from Level 1 to the highest Level 3, requiring the deployment of:
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12 fire engines
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7 jumbo tankers
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2 advanced water tankers
Obstructions due to furniture stockpiles in common passages and balconies made the operation even more difficult.
Impact on ED Operations
While a few case-related documents stored on the affected floors might have been damaged, officials emphasized that scanned copies of crucial evidence and charge sheets are securely maintained:
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On official laptops
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With the PMLA adjudicating authority
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In backup archives across different ED offices
A senior ED officer assured that ongoing investigations — including high-profile cases like the Mehul Choksi–Nirav Modi PNB fraud, National Stock Exchange scam, and Kingfisher Airlines bank fraud — would continue without disruption.
Official Stand
The ED has not released an official statement yet regarding the extent of the damage. However, internal sources confirmed that administrative operations have been temporarily shifted, and cooling operations at the fire site are still underway.
