As reported in DNA by Sandeep Ashar on Friday, June 26, 2009
The recently-inaugurated K-Star mall at Chembur was closed on Thursday after it caught fire on Wednesday evening. The fire had started from Firangi Paani restaurant on the top floor of the seven-storey mall.
Even though the fire was brought under control within two hours, the electricity connection was not restored until Thursday evening with fire officials investigating the cause and the damage caused by the fire.
Consequently, all establishments at the mall, including the Fun Cinema multiplex, remained closed on Wednesday.
According to fire officials, the fire spread through the duct of the false ceiling in a portion of the restaurant.
Even though the fire remained confined to a limited area, the smoke emerging from it spread and covered the entire floor and even reached the lower floors. People present at the mall, including those watching movies at the 5-screens, were immediately evacuated.
Fire officials said the restaurant suffered a property loss worth lakhs. They appreciated the fire safety apparatus set in place by the mall. “The evacuation was smoothly carried out. All the safety equipment was in order,” a fire official said.
A state-appointed committee to recommend safety measures for emergency situation in multiplexes had said in a report last year that cooking in all these restaurants should be banned. “Cooking of food and snacks could be hazardous and should not be allowed directly below or above a multiplex. If at all a restaurant is required, it should bring pre-cooked food and snacks for sale. Microwave heaters could be used for heating of the food,” the committee had said.
