Nearly a week after the fire at Make In India event in Girgaum Chowpatty, the Maharashtra Government still doesn’t seem to have any clarity on the preventive measures taken, with each department giving a different answer
The dhol-tasha troupe rehearsing before the event
A day after a mid-day investigation highlighted several glaring lapses in safety norms and procedures while organising the ill-fated Make In India event at Girgaum Chowpatty, officials from various departments and eyewitnesses to the fire disaster are still giving contradictory versions about what happened on Sunday night and in the run-up to it.
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The massive fire broke out on Stage during a cultural event 'Maharashtra Night' at the Make In India week in Mumbai almost a week ago. PTI Photo
Official versions
Even the official responses from different departments don't match. Take, for instance, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' statement that three fire audits had been conducted by the disaster management department between February 11 and February 14.
"If such a high-level fire audit was conducted, then the disaster should not have occurred in the first place, or at least it would not have been so serious," said a senior police officer.
The police said they received intimation from the fire department about one fire audit being conducted. However, as mid-day had pointed out, there's still no sign of a compliance report to show that all the instructions in the No Objection Certificate (NOC) were followed.
A senior police officer said, "The fire department has given a copy of a letter (NOC copy) stating that the fire audit was conducted a day before the event, but when we inquired about the compliance report, the fire officials had no reply. The fire officers were specifically asked as to whose responsibility it was to ensure compliance –the police, fire department or the organiser. To this, the fire officials stated that it was definitely not the police's duty, they said it was the organiser's responsibility."
When mid-day asked Chief Fire Officer P S Rahangdale why there was no apparent record of the fire audit, he refused to comment. What he did say was that the department's much awaited report on the fire incident will be delayed to next week. "Our investigation is still under process and the report should be ready only by next week," he said.
This will set the entire probe back, as the investigators are also waiting for the fire report before drawing a full conclusion about the incident. Additional Commissioner of Police (south region) Dr Pratap Dighavkar said, "Though we have started recording the statements of eyewitnesses, we are awaiting the fire report and will accordingly take necessary action as per the provisions of law."
Organiser's version
The event organiser Wizcraft had earlier told mid-day that a mock drill was carried out a day before the event on Sunday. The courts had specifically said no to fireworks, but the organiser said 'cold pyro' was used after approval from the fire department. Cold pyrotechnics are low-heat and –smoke emitting fireworks. However, at least a couple of eyewitnesses said that the fire was seen to break out after the third round of pyrotechnics.
"A day before the event, we participated in the mock drill that was conducted at the event venue, along with disaster management and fire departments, as well as police and traffic personnel. The original plan was to keep the firecrackers in and around the dais, as is done at other events. But the fire officials categorically asked us to move the firecrackers out of the venue, and this instruction was strictly followed by us. All firecrackers (mostly aerial fireworks) that would have been used post the event, were kept outside the venue on the beachfront," said Sabbas Joseph, a director at Wizcraft International Entertainment (Pvt) Limited.
When asked if they had used pyrotechnics on the dais, Joseph replied in the affirmative. "Cold pyros were used only after it was approved and checked by the fire department," he said.
Eyewitness accounts
Ismail Shaikh, the electrical contractor who was hired by Wizcraft, told the investigators that he was standing opposite the stage, behind the VIP area, when the fire started from beneath the stage. He stated that pyrotechnics were used twice, and the third time, it ignited the equipment, clothes, wooden planks, drapery and other combustible material stored beneath the stage.
Another eyewitness, Sanjay Gupta, a crane operator at the venue, told mid-day that the programme had started around 7.30 pm, and around 8.20, he witnessed fireworks. Suddenly, thick smoke and fire began to emerge from beneath the stage.
The flames spread rapidly, and within minutes, the stage, light equipment and decorative materials were gutted.
Also read
Fire audit was done thrice, says Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis
No record of fire audit for Girgaum Chowpatty event
Bombay HC questions Maharashtra on safety guidelines after Make in India fire
With Rs 25 crore insurance money on the line, blame game on
Event firm director denies responsibility for Make In India programme blaze
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