Mumbai: The Mumbai Fire Brigade on Wednesday announced several measures to ensure safety in commercial establishments, in light of the fire at Bhanu farsan shop in Saki Naka, which claimed 12 lives on Monday.
Chief Fire Officer P.S. Rahangdale said that the measures include guidelines that commercial establishments need to follow, a software to keep track of their compliance, and an inspection cell, which will be operated in coordination with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The fire broke out in the shop on Khairani Road in the early hours of Monday. While eight workers escaped with injuries, 12 were killed after the loft that they were sleeping on collapsed. The Saki Naka police arrested the owner of the shop and charged him with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Mr. Rahandale said that the guidelines in the use of inflammable material like LPG cylinders will be issued soon and put up on the fire department’s website.
“If the guidelines are not followed within 15-30 days of their being issued, establishments will be shut down. It is mandatory to submit certificate of the safety measures taken by them, and we are working on a software to store data, and keep track of how many shops submit the certificate. Action will be taken against shops found to be non-complaint with fire safety norms,” Mr. Rahangdale said.
The fire brigade chief said that in the last three years, 4,647 buildings, which fall under the purview of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention Act 2006, have been inspected for fire safety compliance and action has been taken against 10 errant buildings.
The cell, which will have 96 officers, will be inspecting the buildings covered under the Act, in coordination with ward officers of the BMC to check whether required permissions have been obtained and the updated standard operating procedures (SOPs) are being followed.
BMC directive to shops
The BMC has come up with fire codified requirements and the SOPs for establishments that use LPG cylinders or deal with fuels. It has directed them to implement the SOPs within 30 days, failing which it shall disconnect water and electricity connections. The standing committee demanded action against L ward assistant municipal commissioner Ajay Kumar Ambi for complaining about the size of the ward and blaming civic leaders while discussing the cause of fire with the media.
