Only 20% of buildings audited followed fire safety norms

The fire brigade of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has found that safety norms were being violated in most of the buildings in the city

Mumbai Are Mumbai’s high-rises essentially fire traps? The fire brigade of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has found that safety norms were being violated in most of the buildings in the city.

On January 22, a fire in a building at Tardeo in south Mumbai led to nine people losing their lives and 21 getting injured (HT PHOTO)

Chief minister Eknath Shinde told the state legislative council that the BMC fire brigade had checked 346 buildings between November 2021 and April 2022 to assess if fire safety norms were being followed. “It was found that only 60 buildings adhered to safety norms and 286 buildings didn’t...,” Shinde said in a written reply to a question by Manisha Kayande (Shiv Sena) and others on Wednesday.

The BMC has already initiated action against these 286 buildings. Of these, 256 have taken the necessary fire safety measures within the deadline that was laid down for them. The period of the notices issued to 25 buildings is yet to expire and for five buildings, penal action is being taken under the relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006.

On January 22, a fire in a building at Tardeo in south Mumbai led to nine people losing their lives and 21 getting injured. In December 2017, a fire at the Kamala Mills complex caused the death of 14 people and injuries to several others.