Immediate need to pay attention to fire safety in our residential colonies
to overloading of the electrical systems as one of the causes of short circuiting and fire.
DFS points out that these colonies have become highly vulnerable to fire accidents on account of mindless expansion of the buildings, particularly to make way for commercial establishments.
This obviously increased the load on electrical wirings in the buildings, thereby leading to short circuits and fires.
Poor planning, encroachments, sub-standard electrical wirings and fittings and absence of safety consciousness have all made many residential colonies in the country, highly susceptible to fire. Yet, precious little is being done to make residential buildings, fire safe. Worse, many of them do not have even basic facilities for fighting a fire.
While dealing with a fire, time is one of the most crucial factors. It’s for this reason that the efficiency of a fire service is measured on the basis of its response time. But at many of these locations, narrow lanes and by-lanes, low hanging electrical wires and encroachments on public space, make it extremely difficult for fire engines to reach the spot.
In several colonies, gates erected for security reasons are locked in the night, delaying access to fire engines in an emergency.
Absence of civic sense in the residents too, add to the problem.
In East Delhi, rescue operations were delayed by half an hour because the haphazardly parked vehicles on the road blocked the access to fire engines..
It’s time our civic authorities, town planners and fire service officials paid more attention to fire safety in residential colonies and ensured that they have at least some rudimentary fire safety equipment and there is proper access to fire engines. It is also important to educate residents on dealing with a fire. This will go a long way in saving lives.
Similarly,residentsofhousing colonies should take the help of fire safety officers, identify fire hazards and take appropriate measures to reduce the risks.
Most important, they must use only quality electrical wiring (it is mandatory for cables and wires used for household purposes to have ISI certification) and equipment and do not overload them. Installation, maintenance and repair work of electrical wiring/gadgets should always be entrusted to qualified persons.