As many 36 split air-conditioners, leading to electrical overloading, 130 stalls that were made from highly combustible material and an emergency corridor that was closed, for it ‘‘hampered’’ the business. It was a perfect recipe for disaster before the killer fire engulfed the Brand India Fair here, claiming more than 50 lives.

Talking to The Indian Express, Meerut DIG R K Vishwakarma said the organisers ‘‘took care’’ to install 70 fire extinguishers, only that the flawed set-up made the fire spread too rapidly leaving no chance for the people to use the extinguishers. Vishwakarma, in charge of probing the fire, said the overloading led to a short-circuit causing the fire.

Meanwhile, the hunt is on for Lakhanpal Tomar, the main organiser and owner of Mrinal Events and Expositions who set up the event. Tomar is a prominent businessman of the city dealing in property, but he is absconding along with his family. His house in the posh Sarvodaya Colony is empty.

‘‘We have named him and two of his managers in the FIR. They earlier organised a few small-scale fairs in the city, but this was the first big fully-AC fair. We are also looking for the electrical contractor — a specialist we believe was called from Mumbai — given the fact that the fire broke out due to electrical overloading,’’ said Vishwakarma.

Meerut District Commissioner Mohinder Singh said the probe into the lapses leading to the tragedy would take some time. The Indian Express on its part did a spot check, with a copy of the UP Fire Safety guidelines in hand, to know what went wrong:

... contd.