A massive fire ripped through the thick forests of Aarey Colony that falls inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) precincts at Goregaon (East) in north-Mumbai late on Monday evening.
The fire, which broke out at 6.30 pm, was raging well beyond 10 pm. At least 10 fire engines had rushed to the spot to extinguish the blaze. Teams of the Forest Department, Mumbai Fire Brigade and other agencies are battling the blaze amidst apprehension that the blaze might badly affect the rich the flora and fauna in the region.
There were no immediate reports as to whether there are any human or animal causalities in the fire. The cause of fire was not immediately known
The fire, which was first noticed near the hills of Habalpada, which is in vicinity of the famed Film City, and quickly spread to an estimated four km area.
Spread over 103 sq km, the SNGP is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna and harbours approximately 800 species of flowering plants, 274 species of birds, 35 species of mammals, 78 species of reptiles, snakes and amphibians and 170 species of butterflies.
The SNGP is also home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna and harbours approximately 800 species of flowering plants.