After 20-year-old’s death, Kanjurmarg studio gets notice for not complying with fire norms

Although the studio had fire-fighting equipment installed, it was not functional, said fire officials.

After a 20-year-old was killed in a fire that burnt down Cinevista studio in Kanjurmarg, the civic body’s fire brigade on Monday issued a notice to the TV serial production house for “deficiency in fire safety on premises”.

Although the studio had fire-fighting equipment installed, it was not functional, said fire officials. (FILE)

Although the studio had fire-fighting equipment installed, it was not functional, said fire officials.

R Choudhari, deputy chief fire officer, told HT the fire spread rapidly because the fire hydrant was not functional. The notice issued under Maharastra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act 2006 is to replace their fire-fighting system and comply with the fire safety rules.

“As the studio is old, their fire safety system was not updated. There were no sprinklers or fire detectors. We have asked them to comply with the norms at the earliest. The studio has to be shut till it gets the compliance certificate,” said an investigating officer.

Cinevista studio was unavailable for comment.

The maximum time an establishment gets to comply with the norms after receiving a notice is 120 days, said the official.

The major fire that started around 8pm engulfed the ground plus one structure, putting lives of 100 crew members at risk. Operations to douse the fire went on till midnight, till all members of the crew were evacuated.

This is not the first time the civic body has issued a notice to a Mumbai studio for flouting fire safety norms. In September 2017, RK Studios in Chembur got a show-cause notice, days after a fire gutted the set of a reality show.