Nearly three weeks after the Khairane MIDC fire, the Turbhe MIDC police have booked two partners of West Coast Polychem company for causing the death of two employees.
Police have registered a case of causing death by negligence under Section 304A of IPC against Uttam Kishorechand Jhunjhunwala (55) and Bharatendu Kishorechand Jhunjhunwala (47).
“Investigations revealed that the fire broke out at West Coast Polychem as the company did not have an effective fire extinguishing system in place. Hence, we booked both the owners. They have not yet been arrested,” Rajendra Avhad, senior police inspector from Turbhe MIDC police station, said.
Police discovered that the company did not have the required internal fire-fighting system including sprinklers, fire hose and alarm system, and had only one fire extinguisher. Since the company dealt with highly inflammable chemicals, it was also necessary for them to have a proper fire-fighting equipment that has foam and can douse fire from chemicals as fire extinguishers do not douse chemical fire.
“In a report given to us by MIDC, it is learnt that in 2010, it had asked the company to get the fire system installed and also get a fire NOC for the same. The company deals in manufacturing rubber and hence the raw material and rubber were stocked in large number inside the company as well as outside, due to which the fire continued for 18 hours,” the officer added.
A total of seven companies in the area caught fire, suffering a total loss of ₹18Cr.
In the fire that first started at West Coast Polychem on May 6, four companies were completely charred.
On May 6, after the fire started at West Coast Polychem, it spread due to the stock of inflammable chemicals and rubber in the vicinity of the company. NS Nair, manager of the company, and Nikhil Pashilkar, an engineer, were killed in the blaze. The fire was brought under control by the fire brigade after 18 hours.
During the panchnama done on May 10, it was found that Hind Elastomers suffered a loss of ₹7.45Cr, Solanki Tea Company suffered ₹6.20L, Topiox Research Center ₹5.20Cr, West Coast Polychem Company ₹1.25Cr, Shree Naganives Engineering & Services ₹2.47Cr, Condors Foods Pvt. ₹1.25Cr and Navnath Milk & Products ₹3.75L.