₹10 lakh compensation for family of victims in Mumbai fire; Fadnavis forms inquiry panel

On Monday, a fire broke out at the state-run hospital in Marol. It was doused more than three hours later and 180 people were rescued.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced a two-member committee would investigate the fire at the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Kamgar Hospital, the death toll for which rose to eight on Tuesday. The ESIC Kamgar Hospital comes under the jurisdiction of the Union labour ministry. Compensation was announced for survivors and families of those who were casualties in the incident.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (HT File)

“Satish Gavai, additional chief secretary (industries) and Ajoy Mehta, Mumbai municipal commissioner, will conduct enquiry into the incident and submit their report to the state government,” Fadnavis told HT.

On Monday, a fire broke out at the state-run hospital in Marol and was reported at 4.06pm. It was doused more than three hours later and 180 people were rescued. As per a preliminary report, the fire may have been caused by building material lying around at the ground floor of hospital where renovation work was underway.

A detailed report of the incident is awaited, said a statement released by the Union labour ministry.

According to the statement, a team of doctors from ESIC Delhi has also been rushed to Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Union labour and employment minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar visited ESIC Kamgar Hospital and met with some of the injured – who are being treated in seven hospitals all over the city – on Tuesday evening. “Chief minister [Fadnavis] has announced an inquiry into this incident and the Centre will refer to its report to take action against all those found guilty. It is a fact that the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) was involved in some sort of construction work in the building for quite some time. I don’t want to say anything more on this,” Gangwar said.

Gangwar also announced monetary compensation of ₹10 lakh to the families of the eight who died in the incident;  ₹2 lakh to those seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh to other injured persons.