Fire erupts on set of 'Anupamaa' in Mumbai's Film City, industry body demands judicial probe

Mumbai: A massive fire broke out at the sets of popular TV serial Anupamaa at the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari - popularly known as Film City at Goregaon - another tragic reminder of the recurring fire outbreaks in Mumbai and its surrounding film studios.

The fire started at the set along the Film City Road off the Whistling Woods International around 5 am, according to police and civic body officials.

The fire broke out when preparations were under way for today’s shoot.

A massive ball of fire and billowing smoke was seen from several kilometres away.

Four fire tenders, six jumbo tankers, ambulances were rushed to the spot, according to officials of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation and Mumbai Police.

Several workers and crew members were present there, however, no casualties were reported.

The fire is confined to electric wiring, electric installation, plastic materials, iron materials, decorative material, cameras, costumes, lighting system, studio equipment in the 5,000 sq ft area of Anupamaa studio.

Meanwhile, the All Indian Cine Workers Association, the largest union of the film industry workers and artistes, have called for a high-level judicial probe into the incident and called upon Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for a comprehensive fire audit of every film set and studio across the state.

The AICWA has also called for a criminal FIR to be filed against the producers, the production house, the television channel, as well as the Film City Managing Director and Labour Commissioner.

“Had the shooting commenced as planned, the situation could have turned catastrophic, potentially resulting in loss of lives. This incident is yet another tragic reminder of the recurring fire outbreaks in Mumbai and its surrounding film studios. Time and again, fires have engulfed sets due to the blatant negligence of producers, production houses, and television channels, who consistently fail to implement even the most basic fire safety measures. This apathy places the lives of thousands of workers at risk every single day,” AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta said.

AICWA alleged that due to the collusion and willful negligence of officials, producers are not compelled to adhere to mandatory fire safety protocols, putting thousands of workers’ lives in grave danger. “We demand that the investigation must also explore whether the fire was deliberately set by the producers or the channel in order to illegitimately claim insurance — a horrifying possibility that would mean risking lives for financial gain. It must be thoroughly verified if any worker has lost their life in this tragedy, as AICWA believes such incidents are often intentionally covered up by producers and Film City authorities to avoid public backlash and legal consequences,” he added.