Nine guilty BMC officers face punishment for 2017 Mumbai fire

The quantum of punishment, which could be from stopping of increments to dismissal from service, will be decided by municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta.

Nine civic officials who were found guilty after an internal probe was conducted into the Kamala Mills fire last December that killed 14 people, face punishment by the civic body for negligence and failure to take action against illegalities in the two restaurants where the fire broke out.

On December 29, 2017, a fire broke out in rooftop resto-bar Mojo’s Bistro and spread to the neighbouring 1Above at Kamala Mills in Lower Parel, injuring 55 others too. (HT File)

The quantum of punishment, which could be from stopping of increments to dismissal from service, will be decided by municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta.

Over the past few days, the guilty officials have been receiving notices from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), on the charges levelled against them. The officers have been given 15 days to explain why they should not be punished. Mehta said, “Based on the replies, the municipal corporation will decide the quantum of punishment. Notices were served a few days ago.”

On December 29, 2017, a fire broke out in rooftop resto-bar Mojo’s Bistro and spread to the neighbouring 1Above at Kamala Mills in Lower Parel, injuring 55 others too.

According to the fire department’s report, both the restaurants had a large stock of combustible hookah and furniture material.

Also, they had made several unauthorised changes to the structures, while firefighting systems such as sprinklers, fire alarm were not in working condition.

After the fire, a departmental inquiry investigated the roles of 12 officials. These included the five officials suspended by the municipal commissioner a day after the fire.

The probe is being conducted by additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal.

The nine officials named in the report are assistant engineer Madhukar Shelar, sub-engineer Dinesh Mahale, junior engineer Dhanraj Shinde, assistant divisional fire officer SS Shinde, deputy executive health officer Dr Rajesh Madan, fire station officer Rajendra Patil, assistant engineer Manohar Kulkarni, assistant divisional fire officer Sandeep Shinde and sanitary inspector Pradeep Shirke.

The probe report on three more officials — Prashant Sapkale, who was the assistant commissioner of the G-South ward at the time of the fire, Bhagyashree Kapse, former assistant commissioner of G-South ward when all permissions were sought by the two restaurants and health officer Satish Badgire — is yet to be submitted.

The officials, through their replies, will be allowed to plead guilty or not guilty, and if the latter, they will have to present a defence.