'Defective electric circuit cause of fire at snack factory'

The fire that killed 12 workers at a farsan factory in suburban Sakinaka on December 18 was caused by a defective electric circuit, an inquiry committee set up by the Mumbai municipal commissioner has found.

After going through statements of eye-witnesses and fire brigade officials, observations of investigation officers and circumstantial evidence, the committee concluded that a defective electric circuit was the probable cause, said a senior official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The report was submitted by Deputy Municipal Commissioner Rambhau Dhas today, he said.

The committee also found that officials of the Building and Factory department did not do their job properly, as they should have kept an eye on illegal construction and flouting of fire safety norms, said the official.
 

These officials didn't inform the deputy collector about these violations, and the committee has recommended further inquiry against four officials of Building and Factory department, he said.

The report has also recommended suspension of a senior sanitation inspector, as the farsan factory had no license from the health department, nor did it have an NOC from the fire brigade, he said.

Twelve workers who were sleeping inside the farsan (a dry snack) factory were killed in the fire. Nine others managed to escape.

Its owner Ramesh Bhanushali was later arrested under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.

The incident was followed by another deadly fire at two pubs in Kamala Mills compound in the city on December 29 which claimed 14 lives.