Make In India event blaze: One fire sparks many different versions

A day after a midday investigation highlighted several glaring lapses in safety norms and procedures while organising the illfated Make In India event at Girgaum Chowpatty officials from various departments and eyewitnesses to the fire disaster are still giving contradictory versions about what happened on Sunday night and in the runup to itThe massive fire broke out on Stage during a cultural event Maharashtra Night at the Make In India week in Mumbai almost a week ago PTI PhotoOfficial versionsEven the official responses from different departments dont match Take for instance Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis statement that three fire audits had been conducted by the disaster management department between February 11 and February 14If such a highlevel fire audit was conducted then the disaster should not have occurred in the first place or at least it would not have been so serious said a senior police officerThe police said they received intimation from the fire department about one fire audit being conducted However as midday had pointed out theres still no sign of a compliance report to show that all the instructions in the No Objection Certificate NOC were followedA senior police officer said The fire department has given a copy of a letter NOC copy stating that the fire audit was conducted a day before the event but when we inquired about the compliance report the fire officials had no reply The fire officers were specifically asked as to whose responsibility it was to ensure compliance ndashthe police fire department or the organiser To this the fire officials stated that it was definitely not the polices duty they said it was the organisers responsibilityWhen midday asked Chief Fire Officer P S Rahangdale why there was no apparent record of the fire audit he refused to comment What he did say was that the departments much awaited report on the fire incident will be delayed to next week Our investigation is still under process and the report should be ready only by next week he saidThis will set the entire probe back as the investigators are also waiting for the fire report before drawing a full conclusion about the incident Additional Commissioner of Police south region Dr Pratap Dighavkar said Though we have started recording the statements of eyewitnesses we are awaiting the fire report and will accordingly take necessary action as per the provisions of lawOrganisers versionThe event organiser Wizcraft had earlier told midday that a mock drill was carried out a day before the event on Sunday The courts had specifically said no to fireworks but the organiser said cold pyro was used after approval from the fire department Cold pyrotechnics are lowheat and ndashsmoke emitting fireworks However at least a couple of eyewitnesses said that the fire was seen to break out after the third round of pyrotechnicsA day before the event we participated in the mock drill that was conducted at the event venue along with disaster management and fire departments as well as police and traffic personnel The original plan was to keep the firecrackers in and around the dais as is done at other events But the fire officials categorically asked us to move the firecrackers out of the venue and this instruction was strictly followed by us All firecrackers mostly aerial fireworks that would have been used post the event were kept outside the venue on the beachfront said Sabbas Joseph a director at Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt LimitedWhen asked if they had used pyrotechnics on the dais Joseph replied in the affirmative Cold pyros were used only after it was approved and checked by the fire department he saidEyewitness accountsIsmail Shaikh the electrical contractor who was hired by Wizcraft told the investigators that he was standing opposite the stage behind the VIP area when the fire started from beneath the stage He stated that pyrotechnics were used twice and the third time it ignited the equipment clothes wooden planks drapery and other combustible material stored beneath the stageAnother eyewitness Sanjay Gupta a crane operator at the venue told midday that the programme had started around 730 pm and around 820 he witnessed fireworks Suddenly thick smoke and fire began to emerge from beneath the stageThe flames spread rapidly and within minutes the stage light equipment and decorative materials were guttedAlso readFire audit was done thrice says Maharashtra CM Devendra FadnavisNo record of fire audit for Girgaum Chowpatty eventBombay HC questions Maharashtra on safety guidelines after Make in India fireWith Rs 25 crore insurance money on the line blame game onEvent firm director denies responsibility for Make In India programme blaze