NMC Cracks Down on Illegal Godowns at Jai Kamal Complex After Fatal Fire
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Nagpur, India: Following the tragic fire that claimed two lives at the Jai Kamal Complex in Mahal, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has initiated a strict crackdown on illegal godowns and unauthorised activities in the building.
On Tuesday, the NMC’s fire department inspected the premises and issued notices to 78 units — including 44 shops and 34 flats — for not having basic fire safety systems in place. The notices were served under Section 6 of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act.
The fire, which occurred on 14 June, started in an illegal godown operating inside a flat and resulted in the deaths of warehouse owner Girish Khatri and his employee Vitthal Dhode. A welder who was working at the time also sustained serious burn injuries. Officials found that firecrackers and other goods had been illegally stored inside two flats on different floors of the building.
During the inspection, authorities discovered that many units had exceeded the permitted construction limit of ground plus one floor and were running commercial operations from upper floors. The NMC is now verifying property documents, maps, and the declared use of each unit.
Chief Fire Officer Tushar Barahate confirmed that action has already begun and that further steps will depend on the responses of the building owners. Several illegal godowns have reportedly started vacating the complex.
Local residents have demanded stricter measures, including sealing of unsafe units and demolition of unauthorised constructions. They claim that warnings were given earlier, but no action was taken until the tragedy occurred.
The incident has prompted the NMC to consider similar inspections across other densely populated areas to prevent future disasters.
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