Mumbai: With New Year celebrations around the corner and in the wake of a deadly fire at a Goa nightclub which claimed 25 lives earlier this month, the Mumbai fire brigade has stepped up inspections across the city. They carried out fire safety checks at 1,221 establishments under a Special Fire Safety Drive between Dec 22 and 26, 2025.During this inspection, action was taken against 59 establishments found violating fire safety norms, while 20 others were issued notices. Further action was also taken against four establishments that were found to be storing excess LPG cylinders than permitted.The inspections covered hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, rooftop venues, and party halls, which typically witness heavy footfall during year-end celebrations. The inspections included 10 malls, 25 five-star hotels, 148 pubs, bars, and clubs, 19 rooftop venues, and 628 restaurants, among others. Action has been initiated under provisions of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, officials said.Before starting inspections at any establishments, wards have been issuing notices in most cases, stating, “In light of the upcoming New Year celebration and associated events, there is a significant increase in public gatherings at hotels, restaurants, and other venues. To ensure the safety and well-being of all attendees, it is crucial to verify compliance with fire safety norms and health licensing conditions as mandated by the concerned authorities. As a precautionary measure, the Fire Compliance Cell, along with the ward, is initiating a Special Inspection Drive for inspection of hotels, restaurants, pubs, banquet halls, game zones, theatres, etc., to check requirements of fire compliance certificate and health license conditions on the grounds of upcoming New Year celebration and related events.”The special fire safety drive will continue until Dec 28, after which routine inspections and enforcement will resume, said the civic body. Establishments have been directed to ensure functioning fire-fighting systems, clear exit routes, and compliance with occupancy norms.Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) on Dec 19, also issued a notice to the National Sports Club of India (NSCI), Worli, citing multiple lapses in fire prevention and life safety measures at its sprawling sports complex. The notice was issued following an inspection conducted on Dec 19, 2025, under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006. However, NSCI said all corrective actions have been taken.The BMC has also appealed to citizens to remain vigilant while attending New Year events and to immediately alert authorities if fire safety lapses are noticed.The renewed enforcement push follows growing concern over fire safety compliance at entertainment venues, particularly after a recent fire at a restaurant in Goa. On Dec 6, 2025, a catastrophic fire broke out at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, resulting in the deaths of 25 people and injuring approximately 50 others.It may be recollected that a few years ago in Mumbai, on Dec 29, 2017, a massive blaze gutted two eateries in Lower Parel’s Kamala Mill Compound, which killed 14 people. All 14 were found dead in the bathroom of the resto-bar, where they probably rushed for shelter on seeing the flames. The cause of the fire was derived as ‘flying embers’, i.e., burning/lighted flying embers from the lighted charcoal segree came in contact with the combustible cloth material used for curtains in one of the restaurants and very rapidly spread to the unauthorised highly combustible thatched roof of another restaurant.
