‘Hookah embers, thatched roof caused Kamala Mills blaze’

FIRE BRIGADE’S REPORT SAID THAT BOTH 1ABOVE AND MOJO BISTRO DID NOT HAVE NECESSARY PERMISSIONS TO RUN THE HOOKAH PARLOUR OR THE LIQUOR BAR

MUMBAI: The Kamala Mills fire began at Mojo Bistro and not 1Above, the fire brigade concluded on Friday.

‘Flying embers’ or hot coal from the hookah, which came in contact with combustible cloth curtains at Mojo Bistro restaurant and rapidly spread to an unauthorised thatched roof at 1Above caused the fire that killed 14 people last week, the report revealed.

Meanwhile, civic chief Ajoy Mehta on Friday said politicians were putting pressure not to take action against the restaurants for violation of fire safety norms. He, however, maintained that he would not disclose the names of the politicians.

The investigative report submitted to Mehta also found that both the restaurants had large stock of combustible hookah material and burning charcoal, combustible material used in furniture and decorations such as glass wool, synthetic curtains and cushions and wooden props.

The fire brigade also found 14 unauthorised activities and structures in the building, which included ‘fire trick’ by bartenders, charged CO2 gas cylinders on the terrace, alterations on the third floor where the restaurants were situated, enclosure/ encroachment of fire escape balconies on all floors that blocked the escape route to the staircase and passages used to store beer kegs.

Fire-safety equipment such as sprinklers and the fire alarm were also not working.

The report revealed that both 1Above or Mojo Bistro did not have necessary permissions for a hookah parlour and a liquor bar.

1Above had applied for permission to use the open terrace to serve food on November 30 but it was not granted.

Restaurants are not permitted to use the terrace or cover it. Mojo Bistro, which has now emerged as the place where the fire started, also failed to produce authentic required permissions/ licences to the civic body.

After the fire brigade found that none of the security personnel and workers were aware of the emergency exits, it recommended conducting regular evacuation drills.