A devastating fire that erupted on Saturday evening in Jaikamal Complex, Mahal — one of Nagpur’s most densely packed areas — has claimed two lives and left two others severely injured. The blaze broke out in a first-floor residential flat that was being illegally used as a godown to stock firecrackers and electrical equipment.

The inferno killed Girish Khatri (37), the flat’s owner and proprietor of an electrical shop on the ground floor, and his employee, Pratik Dhote. A welder, Gunwant Nagpurkar (45), who was inside the flat during the fire, sustained 65% burns and remains in critical condition at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Acting on a complaint by Dhote’s mother, Anita, the Kotwali police have registered a case under Sections 106(1), 288, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the deceased Girish and his brother Ashu Khatri for causing death due to negligence. Police stated that the duo had stored explosive material inside a residential unit without adhering to any safety protocols, endangering lives in the congested locality.

Senior Inspector Bharat Karhade confirmed the illegal stashing of firecrackers worsened the fire’s impact. Post-mortems of both deceased were carried out at GMCH on Sunday, and their remains have been handed over to their families.

Despite prior complaints from residents and notices issued by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), no effective action was taken to remove the dangerous stockpile. Locals blame the civic body for ignoring the warnings, which could have averted the tragedy.

The NMC’s fire department deployed a fire tender at the site even 24 hours later as a precaution, with officials saying the area will be cleared cautiously. However, there is no immediate crackdown planned on similar illegal setups across Old Nagpur, including areas like Itwari, Mominpura, and Sitabuldi.

This tragic incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for strict enforcement of fire safety norms in mixed-use buildings across Nagpur.

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