According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, the fire — which exposed the vulnerability of Mumbai's slums to such disasters — is reported to have been triggered by short-circuit in the meter box.
The probe launched into Andheri Juhu Galli fire that killed nine people on Thursday is directing towards tampering of power lines inside the pharmacy store owned by the Khan family.
According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, the fire — which exposed the vulnerability of Mumbai's slums to such disasters — is reported to have been triggered by short-circuit in the meter box.
On Friday, a team comprising civic officials, engineers from Reliance power supply and Mumbai Police scanned the two-storey structure, which was engulfed. The team collected samples of charred wires, remains of the meter box, while clicking photographs of the power lines dangling above the charred structure.
"The probe will take time to reveal as to what exactly caused the fire. The collected samples alongside the electricity readings from the house and the area will be examined as to check any power outage or jump, during the time the fire is suspected of having sparked," a BMC officer said.
He added that the area was notoriously famous for the rampant misuse of power supply lines and multiple illegal connections from a single meter.
Another aspect been looked by the team was the effect of the heavy downpour on the tragedy. Officers claimed to have inspected the walls of the house, which have been soaking rainwater, since two weeks. "The walls are wet from inside. We are also checking whether there was any leak into the meter box or did the moisture trigger any kind of short-circuit," explained the officer.
Structural modification
The BMC has also started inquiry into the structural modification done at the house of the Khan family, which lost nine of its members, including five kids in the fire. As per the land record available with the local (K-West) ward, the entire Nigam Mestry Chawl stands on a government land.
The civic body in its remark in the fire report — preliminary made on Thursday evening — has outlined that the plot has been earmarked for a SRA project.
"The entire chawl area is sporting illegally constructed higher floors and rooms. The original occupants give away these small, dingy rooms away for cheap rent. And what follows is the power thefts and tripping," explained the officer.
FDA license
The DN Nagar police are also probing on the license of the Wafa pharmacy store run by the Khan family. According to the investigation officer, several burnt remains of oils, deodorants and chemicals have been retrieved from the charred store, leading the police to check on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) license on the shop.
"The aspect of FDA license is also been inspected by us. We will be talking to the family on this point," said senior police inspector of DN Nagar Dhanaji Nalawde, while adding that the police have already contacted the Mumbai unit of the FDA to check their records for the pharmacy store of the Khan family.
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