The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) on Friday decided to cut off electricity and water supply to JNS Business Centre, a commercial building in Jogeshwari West, where a major fire broke out, injuring 17, on Thursday morning. It had come to light that the structure lacked an occupation certificate (OC), officials stated.
Confirming the development, Ravindra Ambulgekar, Mumbai`s chief fire officer (CFO), told mid-day on Friday evening, “The entire building is considered illegal, as it does not have an OC. The fire brigade also noticed that several alterations had been made to the original floor plan of the structure. We have decided to issue a notice and cut off the building’s electricity and water supply.”
Firefighters douse level-III blaze that broke out in JNS Business Centre in Jogeshwari. Pic/Nimesh Dave
The notice pertains to the violation of Section 3(3) of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Act, 2015, which mandates that the owners or occupiers of a building ensure fire safety and compliance.
Short circuits
The fire brigade has also confirmed that the prima facie cause of the fire is a short circuit. About 70 per cent of the fires in Mumbai are caused due to short circuits, according to historic data available with the fire brigade. An average of 5000 fires are reported in Mumbai every year, with major causes including LPG cylinder blasts.
Thursday’s blaze also made it evident that the JNS Business Centre’s internal firefighting system was not operational.
The blaze was initially reported on the ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th floors of the building, which comprises 13 storeys that are occupied, in addition to three podium floors and a ground floor. However, the fire later spread through the electric duct between the fourth and the 13th floor. Several offices on the 11th, 12th, and 13th floors were severely smoke-filled, hampering rescue and firefighting operations, according to information from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The fire was confined to the electric wiring and installations, false ceilings, electric and AC ducts, office records, files, and papers, and other items such as computers, printers, and stationery items. The burning of electrical wiring led to the accumulation of dense fumes in the top-floor corridors of the building.
13
No. of building’s floors that were occupied
What is an occupancy certificate?
An OC, obtained from the BMC, certifies that a building is safe, meets legal requirements, and is fit for habitation or use. Builders or developers can only hand over possession of the building to occupiers once an OC is received from the civic body. One of the prerequisites for obtaining an OC is a fire no-objection certificate.
How to prevent electrical fires
. Conduct regular/annual inspections of electrical systems
. Keep electrical panels accessible and obstruction-free
. Prevent circuit overloading and avoid the use of adapters or extension cords in excess
. Ensure electrical items are installed by qualified electricians
. Avoid loose or dangling electrical wires
