Mumbai still complacent about fire compliance

A fire brigade official takes a breather in Nana Chowk on Saturday. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Though fire in high-rises is a frequent occurrence now, neither the Mumbai Fire Brigade, nor residents of the towers are taking fire auditing seriously. In the last two months, from November 8 to January 8, 223 buildings were inspected by the Mumbai Fire Brigade, out of which only 23 compiled with the norms.

A massive fire at the 60-storey One Avighna Park at Curry Road on October 22, 2021, raised the fire safety issue. The fire fighting system wasn't working initially and fire officers faced difficulty in dousing the fire on the 19th floor. In another incident at the Hansa Heritage building in Kandivali West on November 5, the fire broke out on the 14th floor and two senior citizens died. The fire fighting system was dysfunctional.

As per the Maharashtra Fire Prevention Life Safety Act 2006, it is mandatory for the owners, occupiers or housing societies to get fire audits conducted by approved/licenced auditors every six months. In the latest report shared by the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the MFB carried out inspections of 223 buildings from November 8, 2020, to January 8, 2021, under Mumbai Agni Suraksha Mohim. Out of these, only 23 buildings compiled norms. "We have given notices to 133 buildings and 67 housing societies requested extension period," said Hemant Parab, chief fire officer of MFB.

After the incidents of Avighna Park, the fire brigade submitted a report to the standing committee. Notices were sent to 327 buildings out of which 78 completed the fire compliance procedure, 109 were under process and prosecution was started against three buildings.