Poor safety measures sparked Andheri fire
Reluctance in spending Rs 5,000 to replace a faulty switch of the building’s firefighting system cost them crores. If firefighting system of the building was functioning, residents could have prevented the fire from spreading.
Reluctance shown by members of an Andheri (W) high rise in spending Rs 5,000 to replace a faulty switch of the building’s firefighting system cost them crores. A fire broke out in 17-storey Kanchan Ganga Cooperative Housing Society at 11.30 am on JP Road, gutting a flat and damaging at least five others. Three women were injured in the incident, and property worth crores was ruined.
Several Kanchan Ganga residents also blamed the management for its laxity. They said that had complained about the system countless times, but to little avail. “The firefighting system of the building was not functioning. Had it been in a working condition, residents could have prevented the fire from spreading,” Chief Fire Officer Uday Tatkare, who handled Thursday’s operation, said.
Officials of the fire brigade said that the blaze was set off by a spark in a TV set in a flat on the 12th floor of the building, and quickly spread to other areas. Authorities said firefighters received the distress call only at 12.24, and they got stuck in traffic on JP Road, which has literally shrunk because of the work on metro rail. What compounded their problems was the building’s poor fire safety system. Officials of the fire brigade, which doused the blaze by 4.30 pm, said that a notice would be issued to the chairman and secretary of the society for not fixing its defective fire safety equipment. The notice, they said, would be served under the provisions of the Fire Act 2005 that was implemented last year.
People living on and below the 12th floor – where the flames were most intense – rushed to the ground floor, whereas those living above took refuge on the terrace. The latter were rescued by firemen. “We didn’t want to take any risks as the flames were gradually engulfing higher floors,” a senior fire officer said. We have lost so much just because a few people didn’t give importance to fixing firefighting equipment,” a resident, Astaar Sheikh, said. “At a recent general body meeting, they talked about allowing installation of a mobile tower to get additional funds. The issue of fire safety was raised, but they didn’t pay heed.”
Andheri (W) high rise, Andheri fire, Fire breaks in Mumbai's Andheri, fire broke out in 17-storey Kanchan Ganga Cooperative Housing Society, firefighting system, JP Road, Kanchan Ganga Cooperative Housing Society, Kanchan Ganga residents
