Fire department tells the BMCs standing committee that ward-level fire compliance team conducted an audit in October 2019 and even received a compliance report from management
Firefighters work to douse fire at City Centre mall on Oct. 23. File pic
The firefighting system at the City Centre mall was non-functional when a major blaze engulfed a part of the building last month, the fire department told the BMC's standing committee members on Friday. It also said that an action will be taken against the responsible license agency.
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The fire department added that the fire compliance team at the ward level had sent a notice to the mall in October 2019, and even received a compliance report from the City Centre management. The corporators, however, rubbished the fire department's response and demanded that Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Shashikant Kale be suspended and a detailed enquiry be ordered in the matter.
Ravi Raja, the opposition leader in the BMC, said the fire was caused because of a lapse on the part of the civic body's fire compliance team.
"If the audit of the mall was done, then such mishap should not have taken place in the first place. This clearly indicates that the officials, who were on the compliance checking team, were at fault, and so the CFO should be suspended."
Samajwadi Party MLA and corporator Rais Shaikh, who was among the residents who were moved out of a neighbouring residential society, said, "There should be a CID inquiry in this case." Standing committee's chairman Yashwant Jadhav has asked the administration to carry out a detailed inquiry in the matter and submit a report in the next 15 days.
The fire that broke out at the City Centre mall in Nagpada on October 22 was put out after 56 hours. A short circuit was suspected to have caused the fire, but an investigation is still underway.
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