Mumbai: Mittal estate fire probe to determine if there were any violations

Mumbai: BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation officials of K east ward inspected the B wing of Mittal estate in Marol, Andheri (East) on Wednesday where two shops had been gutted in a fire a day earlier. No injuries were reported in the incident.

After the Mumbai Fire Brigade finished their cooling operations, the civic officials checked the site to determine if there were any violations on the second floor of building no. 5 where the fire erupted. The fire brigade is also investigating the incident and will submit a report in a week, said a fire official.

The fire was declared as a level 2 fire by the fire brigade after 6 pm. Since the fire was on the top floor of the two-storey building, people could run out of the premises. The commercial area is filled with combustible items like plastic and wood which intensified the flames, said the sources. The fire was brought under control after five hours and finally doused at 9.30 p.m. The cooling operations went on till Wednesday afternoon.

“Since it was level 2 fire, proper investigation will be carried out in the next few days. Witnesses’ statements will be recorded, the procedure will take at least a week. At this stage we cannot state the exact reason behind the fire,” said the fire official.

Civic and factory department officials of K east ward visited the spot and inspected the area to check for violations and whether the open area was covered, said the civic sources.

“We are awaiting the fire official’s report to decide on the further course of action in case they find any violations,” said K east ward Assistant Municipal Commissioner Mainsh Valanju.