Kamala Mills mishap a lesson forgotten, say relative

A year after Kamala Mills fire accident which resulted in the deaths of 14 people and several injuries, relative of one of the deceased Preeti Rajgarhia (49) have said the frightful death of their family member could not even attempt to wake up the authorities who still continue to neglect the safety measures across all public and private places at the time of such incidents. Brother of Rajgarhia, Ajay Agarwal, while speaking to DNA, said that the situation is still the same and on looking at the recent fire incidents across the different parts of the city, the concerned authorities have failed to take concrete steps when it comes to the safety of the local people.

"I still remember, it was 2 am when I got the call that Preeti was taken to JJ hospital and she was accompanied by her elder daughter Ruchi (24). I was roughly knowing that some fire had taken place and there were some serious casualties and victims were taken at different hospitals. I arrived at the hospital where Preeti's dead body was handed over to us. The time had passed like a fraction of second for the rest but for our family, only we know what agony we all have gone through. Our loss is permanent and the damage is collateral and no one should face that fate which Preeti met," said Agarwal.

Speaking more on the incident and its aftermath, Agarwal added, "It is disheartening that implementation of fire safety measures everywhere is still a question. The authorities are not taking steps just because they simply don't want to and the most convenient reason is that no one wants to take the toll on them. At the time of the incident, we heard many theories regarding the cause of fire and police action taken after it but everything was momentary."

"Kamala Mills fire was not just big by gravity but it was also a lesson for the administration, but the recent fire incidents are speaking the reality by themselves," said a distant relative of Preeti, Luvkesh Agarwal.