What Went Wrong

Infamous Fire Incidents:

Cause, Effect & Learnings
Incidents

Kamla Mills Gurgaon Chembur Surat

Fire incident Fire incident Fire incident Fire Incident

Aug 2018 Aug 2018 Oct 2018 Dec 2018 Feb 2019 May 2019

Parel Andheri, ESIC Hosp. Delhi, Karol Bagh

Fire incident Fire incident Fire Incident

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Summary

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Surat – 24 May 2019

Spark in the 22 Died

compressor of the
air conditioner

Text
Government of Builder and
Gujarat ordered the Government
shut down of all Officials arrested
private coaching
centres in the state
until fire safety
inspections are
conducted

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What Went Wrong

The fire occurred at a commercial complex called Takshashila Arcade, located in the Sarthana area of Surat.
Smart Design Studio, a coaching centre, was operating in a makeshift dome built on the terrace of the building.
An electrical short circuit started a fire on the ground floor near a staircase on the rear side of the building.
There were about 50 to 70 students in the coaching centre at the time.
The fire brigade arrived with 19 fire engines and two hydraulic platforms. They doused the fire in an hour.
A total of 22 students died: 18 girls and 4 boys, aged between 15 and 22 of these, 16 students died due to fire or asphyxiation, 3 died as
they jumped off the terrace of the building, and 3 succumbed to the fire-burns they sustained.
More than 50 burnt tires were also found on the terrace.
There was no fire safety equipment in the building.
The students were trapped because the only way to the top floor was a wooden staircase which was destroyed by the fire.

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Summary

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Delhi – 12 Feb 2019

Short-circuit 17 Died

Text
Delhi police
reviewed Case booked
certificates issued against the hotelier
to more than
1,500 hotels

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What Went Wrong

Fire had broken out between 3 and 3:30 am. fire services were not alerted immediately. The first call to the police control room was
received at 4:43 am.
The fire quickly spread due to wooden panels on the walls and floor of the hotel, and caused heavy smoke in the hallways.
It also noted that the extensive use of plastic and other inflammable material on the walls and partitions and a temporary structure
erected on the roof led to quick spread of smoke and fire to quickly spread.
There was no panic alarm on any of the floors or in the restaurants.
There was only one emergency exit that was locked, and no proper signage to guide the guests to the emergency exit.
At least 30 people were rescued by firefighters, but 17 succumbed to burns or asphyxiation, although three people jumped to escape,
only one of them survived.
Delhi Police utilized 3D laser technology to recreate the scene of the hotel before the fire broke out in order to understand what led to
the blaze and find violations by the hotel staff.

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Chembur, Mumbai – 27 Dec 2018

Short-circuit in
Christmas tree
lights 5 Died

Text
5 months later Tilak Builder was
Nagar Residents arrested after his
Welfare Association
anticipatory bail
planned to make QRT
was rejected

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What Went Wrong

The fire fighting equipment were partially installed and non-functional in the building
An LPG cylinder blast reportedly increased the severity of the fire.
No-Objection Certificate (NOC) was not obtained from the fire department.
Three of the deceased people out of five have died because of asphyxiation as per the reports.
The 15th floor refuge area was sold.
Open parking near the main gate was sold and thus blocking entry to fire engines.
All five filled in the incident were senior citizens.

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Andheri, Mumbai – 17 Dec 2018

Welding Sparks fell on the

14 Died
stock of Nitrile rubber.

Text
Awareness against Two senior Govt.
hazardous insulation Exec. Booked
material increased. among 6 in
chargesheet

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What Went Wrong

The sparks from welding had fallen through the open fire duct and came in contact with the combustible material like stock of Nitrile
rubber insulating materials, adhesives, wooden boxes stored near the fire duct on the ground floor.
The hospital building, constructed in the 1970s, neither has a fire brigade NOC nor an occupation certificate from the MIDC.
Since the building is not covered under the Fire Act, 2005, the MIDC fire brigade cannot prosecute it.
Building did not have fire-fighting equipment except fire extinguishers.
Past minor incidents of fire were not reported
One of the exit gates was blocked due to some construction work, resulting in the hospital having only one exit.
Fire-fighters faced difficulties due to the glass facade of the building and the limited ventilation.
The smoke of burning rubber travelled to higher floor through AC ducts.
There was no fire damage to the hospital. It was just a heap of nitrile rubber burning.

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Gurgaon – 7 Oct 2018

Short-circuit in electric
2 Died
meter.

Text
A week after blaze, None
safety audit held in
the property

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What Went Wrong

Short-circuit in a electrical panel caused the fire.

Since the panel was near the fire exit, people couldn’t get out of the building.
Insufficient fire cylinders at each floor.
Electrical shafts were not sealed with fire-proof material. Fire spread quickly through electrical shaft.
Terrace door was locked.

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Parel, Mumbai – 22 August 2018

Short-circuit in electric
4 Died
shaft.

Text
11 Year old girl Zen
became sensation by
saving life of 15-16
people
The fire brigade
also filed a police
complaint,
following which the
builder was arrested

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What Went Wrong

Building’s firefighting equipment were not working.

Lift lobby had several wooden shoe racks and other combustible material that caught fire on the 12th floor
Unsealed electric cable shaft in the lift lobby spread the fire.
Lift lobby of twelfth floor was covered with interior decorative combustible material, wooden wall panelling.
Building was not having occupancy certificate (OC).
The refuge area had flats built on it.
The electrical cable shaft was covered with shoe rack.
Two people found dead inside the lift.

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Kamla Mills, Mumbai – 29 December 2017

‘Flying embers’ from

14 Died
a hookah

Text
314 demolitions in
Mumbai, Looked out
notice to 3 bar Restaurant Owners
owners charged with
culpable homicide

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What Went Wrong

A waiter left the burning coal unattended in the hookah near a running fan.
Illegal constructions exacerbated the fire.
There was a narrow staircase with obstructions as the only mean to escape. There were no emergency exits.
Absence of fire extinguishers in the restaurant.
Fire fighting system of the building was not in working condition.
Flammable material such as tarpaulin sheets and artificial flowers for decoration aggravated the fire.
There were around 300 people present inside both the restaurants at the time of the incident.13 customers and one staff member who
had taken refuge in a men’s toilet. All 14 were found be dead.

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Learnings

Five out of seven incident are caused by short circuits.

Not sealing of the shafts with fire retardant material accelerate the fire spread .
Wood work on the walls of common area and lift lobbies acts as deadly fuel in case of fire incident.
The majority of deaths in fire incidents happens due to asphyxiation caused by smoke.
Non availability of emergency exit and unawareness of evacuation process is the major cause deaths in any fire incident.
Installing electrical panels near exits and the hydrant points has been proved a deadly mistake.
Facility team/ occupants should be aware of any hazardous material storage such as rubbers or paints cans etc.
Periodic mock drills, trainings and periodic inspection of firefighting equipment and specially the exit ways can drastically increases
the chance of human survival in any fire incident to 100%.
Special attention for such trainings and drills should be given to the females, children and senior citizen.

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Be
Abhiraj.Gaur@ap.jll.com