Mumbai pub fire: Police arrest two managers of 1Above

After Mumbai pub fire, Police continue search for brothers Kripesh and Jigar Sanghvi and their partner Abhijit Mankar, who run 1Above.

Two managers of a Mumbai pub struck by a deadly blaze on December 29 have been arrested, police said on Monday.

A view from the street after a fire broke out in Mumbai’s Kamala Mills on Friday. (PTI)

Fourteen people were killed and 55 injured in the fire that engulfed a four-storey building in the thriving Kamala Mills complex, raising concerns over fire-safety norms in Mumbai’s commercial hubs. The tragedy led the civic body to launch a demolition drive against illegal structures in the city.

Officials say the fire spread quickly because of bamboo and other flammable material on the rooftops of restrobar 1Above and the adjacent Mojo Bistro. Both restaurants had been served three notices each for safety violations in recent months.

Kevin Bava, 35, and Lisbon Lopez, 34, were present at 1Above when the fire broke out. They were called for questioning on Sunday night and arrested later. They will be produced in a magistrate court.

Brothers Kripesh and Jigar Sanghvi and their partner, Abhijit Mankar, who run 1Above, are still on the run. Their phones have been put on surveillance.

Officials have questioned their relatives but yet to make any headway. The Sanghvis and Mankar too were at the restaurant when the fire broke out. They escaped soon after.

Mojo Bistro and 1Above had made extensive alterations to the structure of the building, and illegally occupied the large balcony area of the top floor, officials say.