Five civic officials suspended after Kamala Mills fire kills 14 in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Five officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were suspended on Friday after a deadly mid-night fire at a rooftop restaurant in Central Mumbai’s business district claimed 14 lives.

Read here | Mumbai Kamala Mills fire UPDATES: Five BMC officials suspended for negligence even as pub owners claim to have followed all norms

The fire broke out after midnight at the ‘One Above’ and ‘Mojos’ restaurants at the Trade House building of the Kamala Mill Compound in Central Mumbai’s Lower Parel area. 

It took over five hours for the fire department officials to completely douse off the fire that broke out at around 12.17 am. 

According to Sharad Jadhav, producer at TV9 Marathi news channel, who was working in the night shift at the channel’s office in the same building, he came to know of the fire at around 12.30. When he saw the fire he realised the danger and asked all the staff at the office to move out.

“At least around 150 people must have been at the pubs. It was a chaotic situation. The injured people said that they had lots of difficulties while escaping the fire,” Jadhav said.

Mahesh Sabale, a security guard at the building, who was at his office on the upper floor, realised that the exit door was locked from inside. He broke that door with the help of his colleagues Suraj Giri and Santosh.

“Around 200 people had gathered at the door. It was very a panic situation. Fortunately, we could take all of them out of the building and to a safe place,” Mahesh said. 

One of the other survivors Dr Sulbha Arora said that she was just paying the bill after dinner at One Above pub when the fire broke out. 

“Within minutes there was a stampede-like situation at the exit and people ran over me when I fell down. But, fortunately, we could find another exit from the kitchen,” she added.

At least 50 victims were taken to the nearby King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital. 

“We started receiving patients from Kamala Mills at about 1 to 1:15 a.m. 12 patients suffered superficial burns. All have been treated and released. With those 12 patients, 14 dead bodies were also brought to the hospital. The main reason for deaths was suffocation and carbon monoxide poisoning,” said Dr Avinash Supe, dean of the KEM hospital.

Pramila Laxmichand Kenia (70), Vishwa Jayant Lalani (22), Dhariya Jayant Lalani (26), Khusbhoo Jayesh Bhansali (29), Parul Rakesh Lakdawala (49), Tejal Bhaven Gandhi (36), Kavita Piyush Dharani (36), Sarabjit Samrendra Pereira (23), Yasha Alap Thakkar (22), Prachi Mahendra Khetani alias Prachi Ankit Sheth (30), Preeti Rajesh Rajgadia (49), Shefali Pranav Doshi (45), Kinjal Jayesh Mehta alias Kinjal Bharat Shah (28) and Manisha Nimesh Shah (47) were identified as deceased, according to information released by the hospital. Among the 14 deceased, 11 were women. 

“Almost all the victims have died to asphyxiation. None of them died due to the flames. A proper evacuation plan could have avoided this,” said Dr Harish Pathak, head of the Forensics department head at KEM Hospital.

Police have booked Hratesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Manka of C Grade Hospitality, that manages the One Above pub. They have been booked under relevant IPC sections for culpable homicide, causing hurt by act endangering the life of others and causing grievous hurt by endangering personal safety of others.

Initial reports suggest that the fire started at the  One Above and then spread to Mojo’s Bistro and London Taxi Gastropub.  However, One Above and Mojo’s both have claimed that both their fire security systems were in place.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who visited the site by noon said that five BMC employees have been suspended and the BMC commissioner has been asked to conduct an “intense inquiry” into the whole incident. 

“BMC commissioner has been asked to submit inquiry report within 15 days. We shall initiate action under criminal code against whoever is found guilty,” Fadnavis told the media during the visit.

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