The fire broke out on the 10th floor of the 16-storied Sangam building and quickly spread upwards, trapping many of the residents there, in Tilak Nagar suburb of northeast Mumbai.

Of the seven casualties rushed to the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, five were pronounced dead.

The victims have been identified as Sunita Joshi (72), Bhalchandra Joshi (71), Suman Shrinivas Joshi (83), Sarala Suresh Gangar (52) and Lakshmiben Premji Gangar (83).

A senior male citizen, Shrinivas Joshi, 86, along with fireman Chhagan Singh, 28, have been admitted and being treated for suffocation.