Pubs, Bars Shut
Pubs, bars shut over lack of fire safety systems:
MUMBAI: As many as 87 pubs, discotheques and orchestra bars across the city were ordered shut by the fire department last year for violating fire safety norms. Last year also saw the fire brigade receiving overall 5,4217 fire calls—at all places, including residential and commercial-—from Mumbai, a rise of nearly 13% compared to 2018.
The fire brigade had inspected 402 drinking establishments with fire NOC and found 115 of them violating the norms. The inspections were part of the special drive launched following the December 2017 Kamala Mills blaze that claimed 14 lives.
Explaining the drive, an official they want to ensure that drinking establishments do not compromise on safety. The fire brigade started compliance units at the local level, with officials conducting frequent inspections of such establishments as well as residential buildings for fire-fighting and other safety systems. If the fire brigade finds violations, they issue notices to the establishment to make their premises fire compliance, failure of which leads to serious action.
A fire officer said, “Such places are normally dark and have high footfalls. In case of a disaster on such premises, casualty can be very high. So, we insist that such places should be fire compliant. They should take precautions for the safety of people or we will not allow them to function.”
The fire department has given NOC to 411 orchestra bars, discotheques and pubs, including those in five star hotels—121 of them are in Bandra-Andheri belt.
The fire department has given NOC to 411 orchestra bars, discotheques and pubs, including those in five star hotels—121 of them are in Bandra-Andheri belt.
About the overall number of fire calls they received, an official said 2019 saw the most calls in the last three years. Last year, fire brigade received 22 serious calls —level III and IV—compared to 20 in 2018. In 2017, the fire brigade received 26 serious calls and one Brigade Call (highest level)—the Kamala Mills case.
