Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Saravana Stores lacked safety measures: probe

CHENNAI: Investigation into the Saravana Stores fire on September 1 has revealed that the absence of safety measures such as fire-fighting material for protection of the building was one of the reasons for the accident.

This was submitted by the government advocate before Justice R. Regupathi, while opposing the anticipatory bail petition of two proprietors of the stores. (The court has since dismissed the plea.)

The government advocate said the shop was on the narrow Ranganathan Street. Several customers visited it every day. The police and the fire brigade extinguished the fire with great difficulty.

The supervisor and manager of the stores have been arrested. During the investigation, it also came to light that there was no emergency gate in the building. There was no direct entrance to Lucky Plaza from Ranganathan Street. The watchmen were permitted to stay in the building during the night even though there was no sufficient protection from a fire hazard.

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