Mumbai Kamala Mills fire: BMC starts inquiry, citizens come forward with accounts

Mumbai: The BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta has started his probe into the Kamala Mills blaze and started hearing people’s account from Monday. According to Mehta, people’s accounts will help him to make a factual report of the proceedings. He  said, “The preliminary probe report of fire department is based on elements which includes cause of fire, factors for th fire spreading while my inquiry report will be more comprehensive based on details regarding other elements like illegal construction, etc. The report will have a larger picture, therefore every statement that comes to me will be put on record.”

The BMC has appealed to citizens to come forward and help them bring out a factual report. A public notice — an appeal to citizens who has witnessed the incident, or those related to the deceased or injured, or people working in the area — to narrate their version of the night has been published in leading newspapers and also banners at Kamala Mills compound have been put. The notice mentions an email address – mc.enquiry.kamala@gmail.com – where details of the incident, photos and videos can be mailed. In addition,there is still a lot of ambiguity about the blaze, therefore the report will help after witness accounts are properly ascertained, said Mehta.

Following the death of 14 people in the December 29 fire, the CM had asked the civic chief to conduct a probe. The fire also revealed irregularities in several restaurants and pubs, a fact grossly neglected by civic officials. The probe report would be submitted by Friday this week, possibly to the CM, added Mehta.