Despite fire brigade notice, BMC yet to cut power, water supply to Sachin Tendulkar’s old building in Mumbai

An official from H-West ward said instead of initiating action, a team of civic officials from the ward visited the fire brigade on Wednesday to understand the gravity of the situation.

Even a day after the fire brigade asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to cut water and electricity supply to La Mer building in Bandra, where a fire gutted a portion of a flat on the 10th floor on Tuesday, the civic body is yet to take action.

An official from H-West ward said instead of initiating action, a team of civic officials from the ward visited the fire brigade on Wednesday to understand the gravity of the situation. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

An official from H-West ward said instead of initiating action, a team of civic officials from the ward visited the fire brigade on Wednesday to understand the gravity of the situation.

Sharad Ughade, assistant commissioner, H-West ward, said, “Electricity and water supply to La Mer building was not disconnected on Wednesday. But we will figure out the course of action based on the fire brigade’s instruction.”

The Tuesday’s fire in the 10th floor duplex apartment of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar brought to light that the building did not comply with the fire safety norms.

P Rahangdale, chief fire officer of Mumbai fire brigade, said, “The firefighting installation in the building was defunct. The fire brigade sent a notice the BMC, directing it to cut of electricity and water supply to the building, until it complied with the fire safety norms.”

Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and adman Pralhad Kakkar also own flats in the society. Tendulkar’s parents-in-law, Anand and Annabel Mehta, live in the duplex apartment.

“The fire brigade has done its duty by notifying the ward. I learn that has not been done. If any mishap happens in the apartment now, it will be the BMC’s responsibility,” said Rahangdale, adding it will take up to 15 days to inspect the fire system, once the society installs it, after which they will give an no-objection certificate to the building.

Tendulkar’s father-in-law was on the 11th floor when the fire broke out. Annabel Mehta told HT, “It has been only one day since the incident. It is not an easy time right now. I am relieved everyone is safe. That’s all that matters to me.”