Fire put out 21 hrs later; ‘mall safety system didn't work'
No one was injured, but the fire caused large-scale destruction. It spread across the basements and four floors and engulfed the roof dome, multiple shops, garment stocks, cosmetics and other goods, covering 8,000-10,000sqft. The mall had 220 shops and two eateries.
Hundreds of shopkeepers who lost inventory worth lakhs returned to survey the damage from outside, worried about an uncertain future. "Authorities have sealed access, citing dangerously high temperatures, preventing us from retrieving anything that may have survived the fire," said Imran Sheikh, one of those affected. Another shopkeeper, Azim Khan, said he lost inventory worth Rs 6 lakh. Many said they had recently increased their stocks for the vacation months.
According to the fire brigade's preliminary report, the absence of ventilation in the basements and an internal firefighting system contributed to the fire's rapid spread. "The enclosed roof and glass exteriors prevented the smoke and heat from escaping," said a civic official. Officials said the resultant intense heat and dense smoke made it difficult to access the upper floors. Senior officials said the crammed passageway to the basement and the delayed SOS call hit firefighting operations.
The fire brigade has launched a probe into the fire's cause. Following a demand by Bandra West MLA Ashish Shelar, BMC appointed joint commissioner Gangatharan D to hold a separate probe.
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