Fire guts 15 stalls at Goregaon industrial estate

A fire broke out in an industrial estate in Goregaon East on Saturday morning gutting 15 units used for manufacturing plastic materials and metal works. The blaze was triggered by a cooking stove blast, said fire officials.

One person sustained 30 per cent burns in the accident that occurred at the Babulal Awasthi Compound, Cama Industrial Estate. The 30-year-old victim, Sanjay Roy, is admitted to Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care hospital, Jogeshwari.

The fire, which is believed to have started at the stall housing the office of Somnath Travels around 7.45 am, wept through an area of nearly 15,000 sq ft area of the ground-plus structure. It was brought under control in three hours.

The industrial estate had 25 galas (block) each of 100 to 200 sq ft used to make plastic cups, glasses, boxes, while many were metal finishing units. "The fire broke out after a cooking stove exploded but spread rapidly as a large amount of plastic had been stored in the estate. Being morning hours not many people were present," said a fireman at the spot.

Officials said no fire safety norms were followed in the structure. "The roof was covered with a plastic shed used during monsoon and it fueled the fire," said a fire department officer requesting anonymity. "All the tenants have been given the units on rent for 11 months and hardly know each other."

Rampant violation of fire safety norms by commercial units, particularly against the backdrop of the Kamala Mills fire and the Andheri farsan shop blaze, have pushed the BMC to intensify inspection.

Chanda Jadhav, ward officer for BMC's P-South ward they will ascertain on Monday if the units had necessary licences from the BMC. "Action will be taken against the owner and all tenants of lapses are found."

Arvind Yadav, who has rented units in the compound, said he was unaware of the fire safety rules. "I have been running four metal finishing units here since 2006. I have lost all of them. None of units had any licence from expect shop registration. We never had any fire officers for inspection,"

Based on the statements of the people at the site, the cops have questioned Ramashankar Chaudhary of Somnath Travels, said Jyotsana Rasam, senior inspector from Vanrai police station.

Victim Roy, who works as a cook in Balaji Restaurant at Hub Mall, Goregaon, was sleeping on the first floor of the industrial estate with his four colleagues. "I sustained burns after I tried to throw water into the flame."

‘NO INSPECTION’

• A tenant, who has taken four units on rent, said he doesn’t have any licence other than the shop registration certificate. “We never had any fire officers for inspection,” he said.