Contractor booked for negligence after two fires at same spot

An FIR has been lodged against the supervisor of A B Constructions named Natwar, under Section 174(C) and 145(B) of Railway Act.

The contractor was also arrested on October 24, 2009 for criminal negligence. Part of the under-construction Kopri Bridge fell on a Kalyan-bound train around 10.30 am. Two commuters were killed and 11 injured in the mishap.

A senior Western Railway official said, “It was found that while cutting an iron hook on an under-construction harbour line bridge, the gas cutter fell into the culvert and ignited a pile of dry garbage. The smoke was so dense that nothing was visible. The fire brigade was immediately called.”

The Government Railway Police and the city police kept crowds at bay while the station master of Jogeshwari station tried to extinguish the fire using WR’s fire quencher equipment. At 4.40 pm on monday, the fire brigade reached the spot and extinguished the fire. At 7.20 pm Monday, however, a fire broke out again. The fire brigade was called a second time.

An official from the Mumbai division of the Western Railway inspected the spot and found that the cause of the fire was negligence of supervisor Natwar of A B Construction. This contract was awarded by MRVC. While the fire claimed no casualties, the fire caused losses to railway property. The loss has not been assessed.