The Fire and Rescue Services Department is currently on a drive in the district to check the security of private and commercial buildings.
Fifty-odd buildings have been checked and flaws in the fire safety arrangements have been communicated to the owners for immediate correction. The checking is in the wake of the recent fire accident at the S.M. Street. A prominent shopping mall in the city has already been issued a notice after several violations were found in it. Details have been forwarded to the Corporation authorities.
“We will cover all private and commercial buildings, including hospitals, schools and other structures in populated areas,” says Arun Bhaskar, Assistant Divisional Officer of the Fire and Rescue Services Department.
On noticing major slips, the department will forward the details of the establishment to the Corporation so that the structure can be closed down at the earliest.
In such cases, the building will be permitted to reopen only after the works prescribed by the department are completed. Only one building in the city limit has so far been referred to the Corporation under this category for action.
The squads found that the existent firefighting facilities in many buildings are poorly maintained.
The emergency exits in many buildings were found closed. The staircases to the exits were used for miscellaneous purposes.
Fire alarm systems, smoke detectors, and portable extinguishers were non-functional in most buildings. The department issued a directive to building owners to immediately replace worn-out accessories to avoid legal action. Fire hydrants, a basic requisite for firefighting, were missing in most locations.
“We had previously issued notices to several shops, especially those in the crowded S.M. Street, for action. The new drive will check the implementation of all those previous directions,” said Mr. Bhaskar. He said that the spot inspection would cover all the remaining buildings.
Published - June 25, 2015 12:00 am IST
