MUMBAI: A devastating fire tore through the 13-storey JSM Business Center in Jogeshwari on Thursday, exposing shocking safety violations and negligence that turned a property worth crores into rubble. Though no lives were lost, 27 people were rescued and treated for suffocation after the blaze engulfed the upper floors of the building.
The fire, which began around 10:41 a.m. on the ninth floor, quickly spread to the top floors — including a physiotherapy centre filled with patients. It took eight to ten fire engines and dozens of firefighters nearly four hours to douse the flames. Dramatic visuals showed trapped occupants waving from balconies, pleading for help.
Authorities and tenants have blamed the disaster on gross violations of safety norms. The building reportedly lacked an Occupation Certificate (OC) due to non-compliance with fire safety standards. According to Nilofer Parvaz, a member of the JMS Business Owners Association who has long campaigned for corrective action, “The builders did not comply with regulations or fulfill fire norms. They have been exploiting buyers, and today, their negligence — or rather, greed — has gutted so many offices.”
The 10-year-old structure, developed by Sirajuddin Shaikh and Maqsood Jethwa, housed 104 units but had undergone extensive illegal modifications. Tenants alleged that the three-storey parking area was rented out for commercial use and that firefighting systems were non-functional — with no sprinklers, no fire extinguishers, and inadequate water supply.
Shop owner Firoz Qureshi added that the building’s lifts were frequently out of order and one had even collapsed earlier. “People had to climb up 13 floors. The basement has been rented to Zepto for storage. There is zero safety compliance,” he said.
Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar, who led the firefighting efforts, confirmed that firefighting systems were non-operational. “We will issue a notice to the building for the lack of a functional system. The cause of the fire will be determined after a probe,” he said. Officials also noted that the terrace was locked, and firefighters had to break the glass façade for ventilation due to severe smoke logging.
While a stray firecracker is suspected to have triggered the fire, authorities said only a forensic investigation will confirm the cause.
For many business owners, the damage is irreparable. Rehan Tejani, who had stocked goods for Diwali, said, “I avoided storing them in a warehouse to protect from crackers, but who would have thought my office itself would burn?”
The incident serves as another grim reminder of Mumbai’s long-standing problem of illegal construction, lax enforcement, and fire safety apathy — a combination that continues to endanger lives and livelihoods across the city.
