Kamala Mills fire: BMC report blames hookah embers for tragedy

The inquiry report by the municipal commissioner on the deadly fire at Kamla Mills compound concluded that the fire was caused due to the fire embers flying out from the hookahs that were being illegally served at Mojo's Bistro Restaurant.

The BMC Commissioner on Thursday submitted an inquiry report in the Kamala Mills Compound fire tragedy to Maharashtra government.

BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta handed over the report to Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis.

Illegal construction

According to their report, the fire was caused due to a combination of illegal services by the restaurants, negligence by the restaurant owners, and the miscalculations by the architects and interior designers who worked on these restaurants.

In addition, the restaurant had allegedly partially covered their terrace without authorisation, and had used "all kinds of combustible materials" for the construction of the same.

Negligence by owner

The civic body has recommended criminal action against the architect and interior designers of the two restaurants apart from the owner of the premises and the owner of two resto-pubs Mojo's Bistro and 1Above.

Departmental inquiry

The report has also recommended a departmental inquiry against 10 municipal officials. Besides, Mehta has sought three months' time to conduct a detailed survey of the compound to investigate misuse of floor space index (FSI) incentives.

A massive fire had broken out at Kamla Mills Compound in the Lower Parel locality of Mumbai on December 29 killing 14 people and injuring another 30.

Following the mishap, CM Fadnavis had directed the BMC Commissioner to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the tragedy.

OneIndia News