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Journalism of Courage
The Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives on Saturday revived memories of a similar blaze at a Mumbai pub in 2017, which had exposed glaring fire safety lapses in such establishments. However, eight years after the incident – which had occurred in a building inside the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel – the trial in the case against 13 accused has still not begun, with charges yet to be framed.
On December 29, 2017, fire broke out at Mojo’s Bistro allegedly after an ember from a coal ignited for a hookah fell on a curtain and spread rapidly to the adjacent restaurant, 1Above. Fourteen people died in the fire, of which 13 – including 11 women – were patrons at 1Above, besides a staff member. Most of the deaths had occurred due to suffocation after those at the restaurant took shelter in a toilet of 1Above as they could not escape due to the smoke.
Fire safety violations
The incident had raised concerns over the alleged unregulated use of flammable material, obstructions on escape routes and unauthorised sheds being erected in eateries. The police had booked the owners of 1Above, alleging that they were responsible for safety procedures and the lack of firefighting equipment. The police had claimed that those stuck were unable to escape due to obstructions on exit routes and flammable material kept at the restaurant, which led to the fire spreading rapidly.
The civic officials booked in the case included a station fire officer, an assistant divisional fire officer, and a sub-engineer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), who the police claimed had not flagged the violations at the restaurants. One of them had allegedly given a false report, concealing that a sheet covering the terrace area was made of combustible material, posing a fire hazard.
The police had also booked the managers, the hookah service provider and hookah attendant. Twelve of the 13 accused were booked under sections including 304 (2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code, which provides for a maximum punishment of 10 years, along with other sections of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act.
Two other accused – who owned the properties on which the restaurants functioned – were discharged due to lack of evidence. Officials said charges are likely to be framed against the other accused at the next scheduled date of hearing on December 23.
BMC drive that followed
After the incident, the civic body had gone into an inspection mode, demolishing illegal extensions, charging restaurants for not following fire safety procedures, and issuing show-cause notices.
This overdrive, however, was also seen in 2015 when an eatery blaze had claimed the lives of eight in Kurla, after which the BMC made it mandatory for eateries and restaurants to declare that the place was fire-safety compliant. In June this year, the Bombay High Court held the BMC negligent and directed the kin of the eight victims to be paid a compensation of Rs 50 lakh each. The trial in that case against the eatery owner is yet to begin
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