Goregaon building fire: A day after, cause of blaze yet to be ascertained

Requesting anonymity, another MFB official said, “In our ongoing investigation, some residents of the building said that many men would gather in the stilt area to smoke, drink and indulge in other anti-social activities. They believe that a lit cigarette butt could have started the fire which later spread to the bundle of clothes kept there and eventually up to the vehicles. We are still investigating all possibilities.”

“While the chances of a short-circuit look bleak, we are exploring all possibilities in our investigation, including foul play,” added the official.

On the question of a fire audit, a senior MFB official said they are not empowered to carry out fire audits. “As per the fire safety Act the MFB is empowered to carry out inspections and impose penalty on violators. Only licensed third party organisations carry out fire audits when they are officially appointed by a body. Since these SRA buildings don’t fall under the civic body, it will be SRA’s responsibility to appoint an auditor,” the official said.

Earlier on Friday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had announced a fire audit in all the SRA buildings of Mumbai.

In the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, a level two fire broke out in the seven-storey Jay Bhavani building situated in Goregaon (west), killing seven, injuring 69 and charring several vehicles parked in the stilt area.

Murlidhar (in orange kurta) and his family survived the fire and waited outside the ill fated building in Goregaon on Saturday after the fire was doused off. (Express Photo)

Constructed in 2008 by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), the building did not have any fire fighting system.

“Currently, the civic body is carrying out its relief operations as a part of which we have provided accommodation to the survivors of the fire at the nearby BMC school in Unnat Nagar. While some people may choose to live elsewhere, the civic body has made the accommodation facility available to all victims. Furthermore, the BMC has entirely cleaned the building using jet sprays and other equipment,” Rajesh Akre, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, told The Indian Express.

He added that the civic body has been pushing the builder of the establishment through SRA to restore electricity, water and other lines in order to ensure the speedy return of the victims.

Meanwhile, survivors told The Indian Express that they fear moving back to the building. “The authorities concerned have not conducted any audit until now. After the building is cleaned, they may ask us to return. But we are not willing to go back. The building was weak and now the fire must have weakened it further. What if the building falls again,” Rajesh Kamble, a survivor and a resident of the building’s sixth floor, said.

Even as the MFB is yet to ascertain the cause of the fire outbreak, Municipal Commissioner and state-appointed administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal told reporters on Friday, “Members of the Waghri community have been rehabilitated in a few flats in this building. They are rag-pickers. Their material was stored in the parking area. After the fire broke out, it spread to their material.”

According to senior officials, the flames were fanned by the bundle of scrap clothes which had been stored in the stilt area. “After the fire erupted in the stilt area and spread to vehicles, the smoke spread throughout the building leading to suffocation. The maximum deaths were reported in the first three floors of the building where the smoke was dense,” Additional Fire Divisional Officer (ADFO), Goregaon, Somnath Bhaye said.

The civic body has been engaged in the relief operations alongside the SRA, which has also commenced the process for panchnama. According to senior officials, an estimated 63 tenants and their families resided in the building.