Addressing a press conference, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western suburbs) Kishore Gajbhiye said, “It’s an accepted fact that there are many lacunae in the industrial estates. We will soon co-ordinate with the Controller of Explosives and Director Industrial, Health and Safety to crack down on defaulter industrial estates,” he said. The SOP will list guidelines which industrial estates should follow in terms of fire-safety, storage of chemicals, health and industrial safety.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Manu Kumar Srivastava said that it had become important to conduct annual inspection of buildings to ensure there are no violations and the fire-safety equipment are functional. “After the collapse of Laxmi Chhaya building at Borivali we have been feeling the need for inspection of all buildings. Malls, industrial estates, residential buildings, commercial structures — all should be surveyed periodically,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Fire Officer V H Naik said that investigations into the Retiwala Industrial Estate fire have begun and they will be completed in a few days time. He added that the survey for all industrial estates will begin by next week but it will take time for completion. There are nearly 300 industrial estates in the city.

Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak said that the Fire Act was approved by the State government in 2007 and this will enable the fire department to take strict action on violators. However, the rules and regulations of the Act along with notification is still to be finalised. Once the Act comes into force, the Mumbai Fire Brigade, in case of a violation, can seal a property, disconnect its water connection and even levy penalty and ensure imprisonment.