TRP game zone blaze: Days after arrest, RMC suspends fire chief

A local court had sent them to two-day custody of the SIT on Sunday. After their remand ended on Tuesday, the court had sent the two to 14-day judicial custody on Tuesday. Thus, Kher spent more than 48 hours in police custody, leading to his deemed suspension, RMC officials said.

“We issued a formal order suspending the chief fire officer from service on Wednesday. He spent more than 48 hours in police custody and, as per rules, he was deemed suspended at the end of that period. Our order made it formal,” Municipal Commissioner Devang Desai told The Indian Express.

The SIT investigation has revealed that TRP Game Zone’s huge tin shed housing indoor games facilities didn’t have due clearances from the RMC’s town planning and fire and emergency departments. The SIT had told a magisterial court on May 31 that RMC officials were aware of this but didn’t act against the gaming zone and thus committed “illegal act of omission”.

In his order suspending the fire chief, Desai said that another fire had broken out at the TRP Game Zone before the May 25 blaze. “Despite that, it is clear that chief fire officer Kher did not pay any visit to that spot… Had he taken strict action to ensure that enough fire (fighting equipment) was there at the game zone, such a huge accident would have been prevented. Above details establish serious irresponsibility, dereliction of duty, laxity and carelessness towards duty by Kher…”