How It Happened: Mumbai’s Kamala Mills Fire Kills 14, Injures 16

On 29 December 2017, around 12:30 am in the night a Level 2 fire broke in the happening, congested Kamala Mill Compound in central Mumbai. The fire reportedly originated in ‘1 Above’ resto/hookah bar on the rooftop of the compound and then spread to adjacent restaurant ‘Mojo Bistro’ and the terrace of the building. While the cause of the fire is still unclear, several survivors suggest that it was when burning coal ignited a curtain which in turn set ablaze a temporary roof made of bamboo poles tied together.

Fourteen people were declared Dead on Arrival at KEM Hospital, of which eleven were women out for a ‘Ladies Night’ special at the bars. Even though all of the deceased suffered significant burns, it was finally asphyxiation and Carbon Monoxide poisoning that killed them. Sixteen other people suffered injuries but are now currently stable and at their homes or under care in private hospitals.

Also Read: LIVE: Kamala Mills Fire: 14 Dead, 5 BMC Officials Suspended

With only one entry and exit gate, a narrow lobby leading to the left and inflammable objects galore, ‘1 Above’ turned into a tinderbox in a matter of seconds. The blaze also gutted the antennas of Mirror Now, ET Now and Zoom TV which had to temporarily shut down service.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a full-blown inquiry into the accident within 15 days and a safety audit of all similar structures. He wrote on Twitter:

Five [BMC] officials have been already suspended but beyond that if they or [the] owners are found responsible for loss of lives, they will be booked under IPC. [The] guilty won’t be spared. [I have] ordered for safety audit of all such structures immediately & to demolish the illegal one.

The owners of ‘1 Above’ have been charged with culpable homicide in an FIR filed by Mumbai Police since they were clearly flouting several security norms. Two of three owners have been nabbed, while one remains absconding.

Yuva Sena President, Aditya Thackeray, also tweeted:

I pray for the families who’ve been injured and those who lost their lives in the tragic fire at Kamala Mills. Really unfortunate and sad.
On the administrative side, investigation will happen, and the BMC will come down hard on the violations of fire safety norms.

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) December 28, 2017

Cameraman: Sanjoy Deb
Editor: Kammaljiit Kainth
Producer: Divya Talwar

Also Read:

• We Used the Elevator to Escape: Kamala Mills Fire Survivor
• Possible Causes of the Kamala Mills Compound Inferno