Thirty to fourty per cent of the plush shopping mall-cum-multiplex in an upmarket locality in Meerut has suffered severe damages as a major fire engulfed the building on Monday night prompting the district administration to order an inquiry into the incident.
There was no casualty in the fire that broke out in PVS Mall in Shastri Nagar area of the town on Monday night due to a suspected short circuit in the basement of the building.
Though the economic loss caused due to the fire could not be ascertained immediately, a senior police official at the site said that about 30-40 per cent of the building has suffered severe damages.
One portion of the building which houses a super market has almost damaged completely while the other side that has multiplex has no major damages.
District Additional District Magistrate has been asked to conduct an inquiry and he will be assisted by Superintendent Engineer (PWD) and Superintendent Engineer (Power).
"Any authority found guilty of giving approval to the building without proper checking will face the music," District Magistrate Mukesh Meshram said.
The probe will also ascertain whether adequate fire-fighting arrangements were made at the time of the construction of the mall.
{{/usCountry}}The probe will also ascertain whether adequate fire-fighting arrangements were made at the time of the construction of the mall.
{{/usCountry}}The overnight operation of the fire brigade is still on though the fire was completely brought under control at around 4 am. The smoke is still coming out of the building, fire brigade sources said.