Watch: Fire engulfs vehicles in Mohali Emaar The Views residential society's basement; victims await relief
Residents express frustration over alleged lack of safety measures and preparedness
Mohali, August 10: In a distressing incident, a residential society, The Views, developed by Emaar in Mohali's Sector 105 witnessed a major fire outbreak in its basement recently, engulfing at least six vehicles and one two-wheeler.
The incident has raised serious concerns among the residents, who have blamed the authorities for allegedly failing to implement adequate safety measures and protocols.
According to the victims, whose vehicles were completely burnt, the fire broke out in the basement of the residential society, Emaar The Views, which is equipped with parking facilities for its residents. "Shockingly, the fire safety measures in place failed to respond effectively to the emergency, as sprinklers reportedly did not function, and fire extinguishers were notably absent," alleged one of the victims.
He said they paid a hefty amount of Rs 5,500 as maintenance charges per month, but the facilities were not up to the satisfaction. He alleged that through CCTV footages, they could see that sprinklers failed to work when the fire broke out. Moreover, the alarm bell in such a situation also did not work, pointing serious lapses on the part of the Emaar authorities with regard to the safety measurements. He said his Volvo car, the cost of which was more than Rs 1 crore, had completely damaged in the fire. Besides, his Royal Enfield costing Rs 2 lakh and one Hyundai car was also burnt.
The victim whose Volvo car and two other vehicles were burnt.
Angered by the perceived apathy of the residential society management, the affected vehicle owners have voiced their frustrations. They pointed out that they had invested significant amounts, ranging from 1.5 lakh to 1.75 lakh for parking spaces in the basement, expecting a secure and well-maintained environment. However, the recent incident has exposed glaring gaps in safety arrangements.
Residents of the Views alleged that the Emaar authorities had been lax in conducting regular safety checks. The absence of fire extinguishers, malfunctioning sprinklers, and inadequate preparedness during the crisis had raised questions about the commitment of the management towards ensuring the safety and security of the residents and their belongings, they added.
The victims also also expressed their discontent over the management's response to the incident. They claimed that the society representatives had suggested approaching insurance company for compensation and had promised to cover the remaining expenses. However, these assurances were reportedly given off-camera, leaving many residents feeling dissatisfied and apprehensive about the situation.
