MULTI STOREY BUILDINGS IN DEHIWALA-MT. LAVINIA, NOT ACCESSIBLE- FIRE BRIGADE CHIEF
Several multistoried buildings in Dehiwala - Mount Lavinia are not accessible to the fire brigade vehicles in case of emergency, OIC Municipal Fire Brigade U. samantha said.
He said these ill-planned buildings are the most vulnerable to the danger of fire accidents.
OIC Samantha said the planners had not considered whether the fire brigade vehicles and water bowsers could gain easy and quick access to the building when planning these buildings. “This has been ignored in case of several buildings. Officials who approve the building plans should pay particular attention to this situation. Recently, we received information that a building in the Bellanwila area was ablaze and we rushed to the area within minutes. However, one individual died in the incident mainly due to the defective planning of the building and for want of an emergency fire fighting system to be used until the fire brigade arrived. Our men were not able to enter the building immediately. It is the duty of the officials approving building plans to pay particular attention on safety from fire accidents. Congestion in the city and the unauthorized erections had aggravated the danger,” he said.
OIC Samantha was speaking at a fire fighting demonstration held by the Dehiwala - Mount Lavinia Fire Brigade recently to educate the public on steps that should be taken in case of a disastrous situation.
They stressed on fire prevention methods and on saving people from a building in fire.
The demonstration held at the Attidiya Air force grounds by the municipal fire brigade personnel was attended by a large crowd.
They demonstrated how an individual trapped in a building on fire shrouded with a thick smoke could be saved and brought down from an upper storey. They used the modern equipment possessed by the municipal fire brigade.
OIC Samantha further said that fire demonstrations would be held at several other areas based on the presence of large buildings on the instructions of the Chief of the Fire Brigade R.g.wambula.
He requested the public to contact him to arrange fire demonstrations to educate them on fire fighting methods and on disaster management in case of a fire accident.