Fire Audit not done By 99% housing societies in Maharashtra: Official

Nearly 99 percent of housing societies in Maharashtra have t got ir fire audits done, an official claimed on Monday.

housing societies were taking se essential safety requirements lightly, Maharashtra State Co-Operative Housing Federation chairman Sitaram Rane told reporters.

"Almost 99 of housing societies in state have t done ir fire audit, which is mandatory," he said.

Referring to death of three sanitation workers due to suffocation while cleaning a septic tank in a complex earlier this month, Mr Rane said housing societies should be aware of safety rms and prevent such incidents from reoccurring.

He said a three-day housing expo would be held in Thane from Friday to raise awareness about various issues and some professional services which residential societies can avail.

Re: After Surat Incident, Delhi Fire Department To Conduct Safety Audit

Last week, 22 students of a coaching institute were killed in a devastating fire at a four-story building in Surat district of Gujarat. A preliminary probe into causes of devastating fire in Surat at a coaching class has highlighted various lapses on part of officials of local municipal corporation as well as builders.

probe also found that structure where coaching class was operated was prone to fire incidents. It h low ceilings, and tires were used for sitting in place of chairs.

builders h hidden fact that y h ded fourth floor to three-storey Takshashila Complex while seeking regularisation of structure in 2013 by paying "impact fee".

According to a top bureaucrat, officials concerned did t conduct a physical inspection of building before approving proposal of builder.

fire was triggered by a spark in compressor of air conditioner fixed between first and second floors of Takshashila Complex last Friday, and spre through a vertical display panel to top floor with a dome structure where coaching centre was located, as per a preliminary report submitted by Urban Development Department Principal Secretary Mukesh Puri to state government on Monday.