Fire service duct was used as store room by residents

Although the fire department officials have yet to ascertain the cause of the fire that took place at the building named Skyscraper near the Mumbai Central railway station, residents are convinced that the fire was aggravated because the service duct had been turned into a store room by the domestics employed in the building.

Resident and retired principal Alka Shelly said, "The duct was stuffed with commodities and the belongings of the house help on every floor. It should not have been clogged. Such a mishap was inevitable."

Manish Ubale, a house help, told dna that it was only after his employer told him that he occupied the remaining space in the service duct. "Each floor has six rooms including two servant quarters and two service ducts at both the ends of the corridor. We had stationed a few goods at one because there was some extra space," he said.

However, a senior railway official said that it was the responsibility of the railway officers to ask the house helps not to use the service duct for storing items. "They can't complain now, since it was their responsibility too," said the official.