Link Square owner, agency face legal action for blaze

Hindustan Times

a day ago

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Fire Brigade has initiated legal proceedings against the owner of Link Square mall, former MLA Zeeshan Siddique, and Indian Fire Safety System, a certifying agency, for the massive blaze that gutted the shopping complex in Bandra West on April 29.
The move follows the submission of a comprehensive, final inquiry report on the blaze, to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, by chief fire officer (CFO) Ravindra Ambulgekar, on Wednesday.
'As per section 3 of Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, it is the responsibility of the owner owner/occupied to keep the fire safety system in the building operational, even though the said system was inoperative at the time of the incident. The said system was not functional in the fire that broke out. Therefore the fault lies mainly with Indian Fire Safety System appointed by Link Square Care Co Ltd. Hence, legal action is already initiated against both parties,' said a senior fire official.
The report reveals serious failures in fire safety systems, a delayed emergency response, and critical design lapses in the shopping complex.
According to the report, the fire began at 2:30am on April 29 on the lower ground floor, but was only reported to the fire brigade at 3:55am by security guards and workers. This 90-minute delay significantly worsened the situation, with fire calls escalating from Level 1 at 4:17 am to Level 4 by 6:25 am.
According to the key findings in the report, fire safety systems were non-functional despite a compliance certificate issued in January 2025 by the contractor, Indian Fire Safety System. The mechanical ventilation system in the basement was non-operational, severely hindering smoke clearance. The building's glass facade lacked mandatory ventilation openings, trapping heat and smoke.
The emergency exits were either blocked or inaccessible. Highly flammable materials, including electronics, garments and cosmetics were stored in dense clusters, accelerating the fire spread.
Firefighters faced thick smoke, intense heat and poor visibility, making entry from all directions extremely difficult. BA (breathing apparatus) teams were repeatedly forced to withdraw due to dangerous conditions.
Despite the deployment of over 10 water hose lines, and the involvement of senior fire officials, the fire escalated to the building's upper levels, severely damaging its structure.
On May 2, a joint site inspection was carried out by the joint commissioner (vigilance) and senior officials from the fire and building departments of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). While no unauthorised construction was found and structural layouts matched approved plans, the fire exposed glaring lapses in safety maintenance and emergency preparedness.
Aftab Siddique, a local civic activist from Linking Road, where the shopping complex is located, claimed, 'The number of affected units inside the complex is 390, not 210, as initially reported. Well-known restaurants like Tap and Global Fusion were completely destroyed. Each unit has suffered massive financial losses. Everything was reduced to ashes.'
Despite repeated calls and messages, Zeeshan Siddique, former MLA and the owner of Link Square, was unavailable for comment.