Airoli blaze: NMMC for strict compliance of safety norms

The major blaze that raged in the upper floor of a Navi Mumbai high-rise Tuesday has once again underlined the need for a strict compliance with the fire safety norms by residential societies, a senior Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) official said Wednesday.

Fire officials suspect a short circuit to be the cause behind the fire that occurred on the 15th floor of the 22-floor Mahavir Plaza, located in Sector 19 in Airoli node. Nobody was injured in the incident.

A fire official said a 69-metre sky-lift (snorkel) was used to douse the flames, and that a major tragedy was averted due to swift action by fire personnel.

"Residential societies need to take extra care of the fire system regularly, which they are neglecting thus putting their own life and property in danger," NMMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Ravindra Patil told PTI.

The NMMC keeps alerting all residential societies to be more vigilant and ensure a functional fire compliance system in their buildings.

"We have time and again urged societies to get their fire system checked every year through licenced agencies and submit the 'B' form. Moreover, fire officers keep inspecting and issuing notices. They have learnt that societies spending crores on maintenance neglect their own safety for a few thousand rupees required for maintaining a fire system," the additional municipal commissioner said.

According to figures released by Navi Mumbai Fire Brigade, a total of 682 fire incidents were reported in the satellite city in 2018.

As per fire norms, every housing society is expected to renew its fire NOC twice in a year, while hospitals, hotels and pubs are supposed to do so annually.

The NMMC has four fire stations each at Airoli, Vashi, Nerul and Belapur. An additional fire station at Koparkhairane will be commissioned in next few weeks, a fire official said.