Hyderabad: Fire department launches safety awareness campaign

Hyderabad's fire department is launching an awareness campaign after recent fire incidents, including a blaze at the State Bank of India building. The GHMC is enforcing fire safety rules, issuing notices to non-compliant buildings to ensure regular equipment maintenance

Hyderabad: Following a series of fire mishaps in the city the fire department is undertaking an awareness campaign to educate people on fire safety measures.

On Sunday night, fire broke out on the fourth floor of the State Bank of India building at Patny in Secunderabad. The fire spread rapidly engulfing computers, furniture and articles. Seven fire tenders were pressed into service to control the fire.

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The fire officials point out that many buildings are below 15 meters and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has to ensure fire safety measures at the buildings. In high rise buildings the fire department can initiate action and even seal the building for failing to comply with fire safety norms.

The GHMC has issued notices to several buildings for violation of fire safety rules and measures. However, after the notices are issued the building owners implement the measures and later again the equipment becomes defunct.

“The exercise should be taken up regularly. Moreover, in summer we cannot go around enforcing the fire safety laws due to the rise in fire mishaps incidents,” said an official of the fire department.

In incidents where there was loss of human lives, the police had registered criminal cases against the building owners for failing to comply with fire safety guidelines and measures.

As per the fire regulation rules, all commercial establishments should have two fire extinguishers and two smoke detectors per 100 square meters of plinth area.

If the establishment is spread over 200 square meters, then it should have four fire extinguishers and four smoke detectors and the equipment should be increased a s per the plinth area.