Five Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials were today suspended after a fire in Mumbai's Kamala Mills Compound that killed 14 people. The assistant commissioner of the ward has also been transferred.
Five Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials were today suspended after a fire in Mumbai's Kamala Mills Compound killed 14 people.
"We have suspended five officials in connection with the fire tragedy," Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta was quoted as saying by PTI.
The officials suspended were attached to the fire brigade and the G South Ward.
The suspended officials include an assistant divisional fire officer, while the remaining four are from the ward office including engineers and health officials, civic sources said, adding the ward officer of G South has been transferred.
Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar said an enquiry has been ordered and strict action will be taken against errant officials.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta to conduct an inquiry and "to take strong action against erring officials immediately".
The fire that started at "1 Above", a rooftop pub, and spread to Mojo pub on the third floor one level below in the Trade House Building in Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area, a popular night spot as well as commercial hub housing several offices including national television channels. The fire that spread after midnight also injured 21 people.
The massive blaze engulfed the entire building in about 30 minutes and took several hours to be put out. The cause of the fire is not known.
Teams of fire brigade and police rushed to the spot and 35 injured people were pulled out from inside the pub and taken to hospital, a police official said.
Police have booked Hratesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Manka of C Grade Hospitality, which manages the pub, along with others, under various charges including cuplable homicide not amounting to murder.
They are also charged IPC sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).
Two of those booked have been detained.
There have been allegations that civic authorities have turned a blind eye to construction irregularities and violation of fire safety norms in the compound.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind expressed anguish over the tragedy.
"Anguished by the fire in Mumbai. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I pray that those injured recover quickly," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.
BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said he had asked Fadnavis and the BMC commissioner to order a special fire audit of all such pubs and hooka parlours in Mumbai.
"Several such establishments at the Mills compound are illegal, part of which was regularised lately. The place where the blaze took place was illegal," he claimed.
(With PTI inputs)
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