On hospital fire, BJP says will file complaint against BMC

Mumbai, Mar 26: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Friday said he would file a complaint of criminal negligence against the BMC in connection with the fire at a hospital in a city mall, in which two Covid-19 patients died and 70 others were evacuated.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also sought to know how a Covid-19 centre was given permission to operate in a mall.

The blaze erupted at the Sunrise Hospital in the Dreams Mall building in Bhandup area shortly after Thursday midnight. The hospital is situated on the top floor of the four-storeyed mall building and 76 patients, most of them being treated for Covid-19, were there when the fire broke out, police said.
Somaiya said the mall is an "epitome of corruption".

"I am going to file a complaint of criminal negligence against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). There have been several complaints against this mall, but no action was taken against its owners," he alleged.

MNS general secretary Sandeep Deshpande claimed that the mall has not obtained occupancy certificate (OC) so far and its fire audit has not been completed so far.

"The mall was operational without the OC by the BMC. The fire audit could not be completed as the fire system in place there was unsatisfactory. That is why, the fire brigade did not issue its a clearance certificate to it," he told reporters.

"I still wonder why this mall was used in setting up a Covid-19 centre. The local ward officer should be questioned and probed for allowing treatment of coronavirus patients at the mall," he said.

The Shiv Sena rules the Mumbai civic body.