Children killed in latest Mumbai blaze

MUMBAI: Two children were among four killed in a fire in Mumbai on Thursday, the third deadly blaze to hit India's financial capital in just a few weeks.

Five people were also injured when the fire broke out on the fourth floor of a residential building in the city's Andheri East area.

"Four died, including two children aged 10 and 14. Five others have been admitted to hospital," a spokesman for Mumbai's disaster management cell told AFP.

It is the latest blaze to highlight concerns over fire safety in Mumbai, where millions live in cramped dilapidated properties.

On December 29, 14 people were killed when a huge inferno tore through a popular upmarket bar and restaurant.

They died of asphyxiation after apparently being unable to escape through a narrow exit door.

That disaster came just over a week after a fire swept through a sweet shop, sparking a building collapse which killed 12 sleeping workers.

Activists say builders and landlords often cut corners on safety to save costs and accuse Mumbai's civic authorities of negligence and apathy when it comes to inspections.