Amid concerns over the lack of fire preparedness in a large number of high-rises dotting the city, the Fire Department is all set to induct a state-of-the-art Skylift vehicle, which can be effectively used to conduct rescue operations and tackle fire in multi-storey buildings.
Officials said the department had already initiated proceedings to purchase the equipment, and the formal induction of the machine is expected by March next year. “We have worked out the technical details and are currently in an advanced stage of tendering. The machine is expected to reach us by the end of the current financial year,” said A. Hemachadran, Director General, Department of Fire and Rescue Services.
Official sources said the State government had allocated a plan fund of Rs.39 crore for purchase of modern equipment for the department. The machine, equipped with an aerial ladder, could notch up a height of 50 to 60 metres from the ground and allow firemen along with an extended hose access the higher reaches of buildings. It will also have an aerial platform that works on a hydraulic system and can rotate 360 degrees, which will help fire fighters rescue people caught inside high-rises without having to enter them through staircases or elevators. According them, the fire accident in a multi-storey commercial building (ground floor plus six) at Palarivattom the other day has once again set alarm bells ringing, thanks to non-availability of skylifts. Had the fire spread to nearby buildings, firemen would have had to climb hundreds of stairs in those buildings before they could even sprinkle a drop of water on the blaze.
Narrow roads a hurdle
Meanwhile, officials pointed out that one of the main hindrances to the effective deployment of the equipment in Kochi would be the city’s narrow roads.
This year, the department served notices on 673 buildings in the district for lack of fire preparedness. It has also submitted to the District Collector a list of 141 buildings that failed to follow even basic fire safety guidelines.
The violators include 54 commercial buildings and 41 residential ones, 25 educational institutions, 15 hospitals, and six hotels.
“Commercial buildings are most vulnerable to fire accidents as several of them have illegal partitions inside with unscientific entry and exit, while the fire extinguisher systems have remained ill-maintained for long,” said R. Prasad, Divisional fire Officer, Ernakulam.
