Insurance team inspects fire-hit textile emporium

The demolition, using jaw cutter machine, was stopped on June 2 evening, only to be resumed on Saturday morning by 7 30 am. A blaze broke out on the seventh floor by 8 30 am, when the fire fighters rushed to douse it. The dismantling resumed by 9 am. 

A 10-member team from New India Assurance Company, the insurers of the building, visited the spot on June 3. “However, we could not enter the building. We will come back later for evaluation,” said a team member. 

A M Vikrama Raja, president, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam, said closed shops were reopened, after seeking police permission. “The traders’ associations came together to seek permission to reopen the shops beyond a radius of 50 metres from the building. The loss of income over the last four days has been Rs. 240 crore,” he said. When questioned about the building violations, Raja said, “We want a committee to be formed including representatives from various government bodies and traders to see how these buildings with violations can be effectively redesigned.”