Chandigarh factory fire: Police seek report from UT estate office on building bylaws, fire safety norms

Police have sought a report from the Chandigarh estate office pertaining to the building bylaws, fire safety norms in the industrial plot where at least two women workers were killed and three injured in a major fire on Monday.

Sources said the documents were sought to examine legal aspects of the criminal case which was registered against the plot owner and two tenants, who were running Vishav Electricals, where the fire broke out.

A source said, “We registered a case against the owner and his tenants for death due to negligence under Section 304A and common intention under Section 34 of the IPC. To add harsher charges including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC, we need required evidence establishing that the fire safety norms were overlooked deliberately. The electrical firm, Vishav Electricals, was running in the basement. We want to know whether estate office norms allow operation a firm in the basement. Other documents included no objection certificate (NOC) etc from the UT estate office, UT fire department. Though the plot owner, Joginder Singh, had claimed the fire extinguishing equipment was installed in the basement but this did not work when the fire broke out on Monday. We could not go by his words.”