Genset installations against rules, said Fire Department officials
A fire broke out inside a generator room of Sutherland Global Services in Velachery on Thursday afternoon. No one was injured and the over 500 employees were quickly evacuated. Fire Department officials, who inspected the spot later, said the genset installations were against rules.
According to Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS), the fire call from Sutherland was reported at 12.30 p.m. and five tenders from five stations, including Raj Bhavan, Guindy and Thiruvanmiyur, were rushed to the spot with over 20 firemen.
“At 12.20 p.m., the fire alarm started ringing and security personnel rushed in and started clearing the floors. Initially we thought it was a drill, but we realised that it was real emergency after seeing the flames,” said an employee without revealing his identity.
It was a chaotic scene outside the building as the area turned a traffic bottleneck. Motorists stood and watched thick black smoke billowing from the rear end of the building on Tambaram Main Road, Vijayanagar. Staff of the BPO firm, who rushed out after fire alarms went off, gathered outside and were seen clicking pictures on their mobile phones.
Fire tenders and five Metrowater lorries made their way into the premises with great difficulty and sprung into action . Security guards of the eight-storeyed building denied entry to mediapersons gathered outside. They even snatched a still camera from a photographer of a regional daily who sneaked into the building to get a closer shot. The camera was handed over after an argument.
The fire was put out within an hour and senior TNFRS officials, including Chennai City South DFO S. Veeramani, inspected the spot.
Speaking to mediapersons later, Mr. Veeramani said sparks from a genset used during routine power cut are suspected to have triggered the fire. “A diesel tank carrying 500 to 600 litres next to the genset went up in flames. We used water and foam to prevent the fire from spreading to a 20,000-litre underground diesel tank nearby,” he added.
Mr. Veeramani said the proximity of the three gensets to the eight-storeyed structure was against building code norms. “I have reported this to the CMDA and Chennai Corporation authorities and asked them to the take necessary action against the building owners,” Mr. Veeramani said.
Mr. Srinivasan, Speak practically.
When you are in a fire accident, will you follow the safety precautions or you try to rush out of the place?. If something happens like this in your spot, then you will feel the heat.. I understand that the fire drill was given twice or thrice in a year. but when its really happening, you can't expect the same to be followed. Our company Emergency recovery team responded to the situation very well. We were taken to a safe place and rescued. Taking pictures is our freedom, who are you to ask question about it.
"It was a chaotic scene ... Motorists stood and watched ... Staff .. rushed out ... gathered outside and were seen clicking pictures on their mobile phones."
A fire-drill is conducted almost 2-3 times a year in all software companies that I know of. My question is for the staff and admin teams.
Why did the staff rush out? Was there a safe zone? Did they assemble in orderly manner. Was a head count taken? Who asked them to take pictures? What were the wardens doing? What happened to all those fire-safety precautions that we get e-mails on? Shift-deleted?
Safety code violations come to light only after an incident. Its a miracle the incident did not turn out into a major accident. There are tons of residential apartments near by.
I'm sure the "big money" at the BPO will silence the CMDA.
Who gave permission to the building with less space. Does it have emergancy parking space, does the building has enough space around as per the industry norms and how come official let it like that till now.
How many industries are like that. If official have done their jobs we can avoided this situation. After kumbakonam incident still we havent learnt the lession.
>>Fire tenders and five Metrowater lorries made their way into the >>premises with great difficulty and sprung into action. It is not possible to get a Fire-extinguisher tanker or a lorry to be taken inside the SutherLand compound, as it is very close to the main road and the distance between the median (Road Divider) and the compound is very small.
The shops & other obstacles were removed just before and after the SutherLand compound, and there is done for this particular compound. If this compound is removed, the traffic from Vijaynagar to the railway station will be reduced to a large extent.
Sutherland Global Services is blocking the road (for expansion) and which cause much trouble for every one. Do not why the company was spared in Demolition ....Govt Should act and make the road wide and stop Sutherland in occpuing public road.. FIRE had given the way, let govt act.
"Mr. Veeramani said the proximity of the three gensets to the eight-storeyed structure was against building code norms. “I have reported this to the CMDA and Chennai Corporation authorities and asked them to the take necessary action against the building owners,” Mr. Veeramani said."
This sounds to be against safety norms. Reporting this is ok. But as readers, how do we know that action has been initiated? and correction made?
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