Mumbai building fire kills 6

Six people died when a fire swept through a building in Mumbai, officials said Thursday, the latest housing tragedy to strike India's bustling financial capital.

An exploding gas cylinder sparked the blaze at the unfinished building used by labourers and their families.

Eighteen people were hurt in the blast, local government official Tanaji Kamble said, twelve of them critically.

Mumbai police said they were investigating the incident, which came a week after a building collapse in the city killed 33 people.

Building disasters are common in Mumbai, especially during the monsoon season from late June to September, when heavy rains lash the city, weakening poorly-built structures.

Millions are forced to live in cramped, dilapidated properties because of spiralling real estate prices and a lack of housing for the poor.

Activists say housing societies; private owners and builders often cut corners to save on costs.