MUMBAI: A fire broke out on Thursday in a 13-story commercial building in Jogeshwari, which reportedly violated safety regulations and lacked an Occupation Certificate.
Firefighters took 8-10 engines and numerous personnel four hours to control the blaze at JSM Business Center in Behrambaug. Thankfully, there were no fatalities, though 27 individuals were rescued and treated for suffocation symptoms at Jogeshwari Trauma Hospital.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but tenants claim that the builders made unauthorized alterations throughout the structure. Additionally, a functional fire-fighting system was notably absent.
The fire at JMS Business Owners Association started around 10:41 AM on the ninth floor and spread to the upper levels, including a physiotherapy center that was occupied by patients. Distressing scenes showed people stranded on balconies, gesturing for help.
“The building lacks an Occupation Certificate due to non-compliance with fire safety regulations,” stated Nilofer Parvaz, a member of the JMS Business Owners Association, who has been advocating for necessary changes. She later filed an FIR at Oshiwara police station.
Firefighters from Amboli were deployed for rescue and firefighting efforts. Initially classified as a Level-I fire, it quickly escalated to Level-III. The combination of an outer glass facade and various internal changes heightened the risks.
The 10-year-old building, developed by Sirajuddin Shaikh and Maqsood Jethwa, had 104 units but did not adhere to spatial regulations, according to tenants and shop owners.
“The builders ignored regulations and failed to meet fire safety standards, resulting in their inability to obtain an OC. Their negligence, stemming from greed, has led to this disaster,” Parvaz insisted.
Another shop owner, Firoz Qureshi, mentioned that the three-story parking space had been rented out for commercial use. “One lift even collapsed. Recently, the lifts were inoperative for two months, forcing people to climb all 13 floors. I allowed some staff to work from home,” he shared.
“The basement has been allocated to Zepto for storage, but the firefighting system is non-functional, lacking fire sprinklers and appropriate access for fire vehicles. Safety compliance is nonexistent,” he added.
Parvaz further noted that there was also no water supply. “Builders like this ought to be banned. Even after the fire, they haven’t shown any concern. Their architect merely claimed they had applied for an OC,” she said.
Mumbai’s chief fire officer, Ravindra Ambulgekar, who oversaw firefighting operations, confirmed that 8 to 10 fire tenders were dispatched. Businessman Rehan Tejani lamented the loss of his Diwali stock worth crores. “I didn’t store my goods in a warehouse due to concerns about stray crackers. Who would have anticipated their destruction in my office?” he said. “The cause of the fire will be investigated, but we will issue a notice to the building for lacking a functional fire-fighting system,” Ambulgekar mentioned.
“The building wasn’t centrally air-conditioned, so we had to break the glass facade for ventilation. There was significant smoke accumulation. Furthermore, the terrace was locked,” said a fire official. “While a stray firecracker is suspected, a forensic investigation is needed.”
