“We’ll check whether the structure was constructed in compliance with the approved plan. Once the report is ready, we’ll take necessary action,” said additional civic chief Manisha Mhaiskar.
While the blaze, which broke out around 4 am on Friday, had largely been contained, fire officials were still putting out pocket fires in the shopping centre on Saturday.
A section of shopkeepers had been pushing for the redevelopment of the 30-year-old structure to pave the way for a seven-storeyed tower. Police officials suspect that the fire may have been started to damage the property purposely.
“Prima facie, it appears that the basement of the mall housed many illegal godowns,” an official said. Inspections by the the fire department have revealed that some of the shopkeepers on the ground floor had illegally cut the RCC slab to gain access to their godowns in the basement. “We’ll seek strict action against the shopkeepers and the mall’s association which allowed the shopkeepers to alter the structure,” said another officer.
An official of the Borivli police said that they will soon invoke IPC Section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) against all those responsible for the blaze that resulted in the death of fire officer Pradeep Zagade. The inquiry committee, said Mhaiskar, will also look into allegations that the breathing apparatus, which is supposed to provide oxygen for 45 minutes, failed Zagade.
Meanwhile, Zagade’s viscera samples have been sent to the forensic lab. The BMC has also asked all assistant civic chiefs to review the fire safety arrangements in all the malls in their wards.