Mumbai: The 17-storey Crystal Tower building at Hindmata, Parel, where four people died in a fire, did not have occupation certificate (OC) and its fire fighting system was not in working condition, said BMC officials.
“As the premises were found occupied without OC, notice under section 353(a) of Mumbai Muncipal Corporation (MMC) Act was issued to all 58 flat occupants and developer/architect in the year 2016.
The same was prosecuted in Shindewadi court and the matter is sub judice in the court of law,” a statement released by the BMC said.
In its notice issued on October 26, 2016 to the developer and the architect, the BMC said, “The building has been occupied without being certified as completed in accordance with MMC Act 1888 and therefore, it needs to be vacated within seven days and not to be reoccupied until it has been duly certified.”
“The fire was confined to electric wiring in electric duct from 12 floor to 16 floor in lift lobby and common corridor. It also spread in lift shafts and also to electric wiring installation in the flats of entire 12 floor. The cause of the fire is under investigation,” said a fire official.
The electric duct in the building was not sealed at each floor level which caused dense smoke and spread on upper floors. The major challenge was to deploy all the fire fighting resources on the upper floors, the official added.
In a first
For the first time, the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) used the 90-metre snorkel to rescue 13 trapped people, including two pregnant women, in a fire at Crystal Tower building. The tallest ladder in the fire brigade was earlier taken to many fire incident sites in the city, including the recent fire at Beau Monde Towers in Prabhadevi, but could not be used due to locational difficulties or other reasons.
