A fire in Rajkot's 12-storey Atlantis building claimed the lives of three delivery men on Friday. The building had failed to renew its fire safety NOC for a decade, despite receiving multiple notices from the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC).
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Sources suspect an electrical short circuit in an unoccupied sixth-floor flat, where furniture work was underway, as the cause of the fire. Large amounts of wood stored inside may have fuelled the flames. RMC fire officer Ashoksinh Jhala confirmed that the building's fire system was non-functional and stated, 'The NOC was last renewed in 2014. Despite notices issued in 2021 and 2023, no renewal was sought.'
The victims, identified as Ajay Makwana (31), Kalpesh Leva (29), and Mayur Leva (27), were making deliveries on the eighth and tenth floors when the fire broke out. They attempted to escape using the lift but became trapped when the electricity was cut off. After exiting onto a staircase, they were overcome by dense smoke and died from asphyxiation.
Residents on the seventh floor and above managed to escape to an adjacent tower via a shared terrace passage. Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagdish Bangarwa stated, 'Once negligence is established, we will register an offence.' The incident has raised concerns about the effectiveness of fire safety enforcement, particularly following the May 2024 TRP Game Zone fire, which killed 27 people in Rajkot.
Source: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com