BHUBANESWAR: AT a time when the Capital City witnessed major fire incidents in private buildings that claimed several lives recently and prompted the fire officials to call for mandatory safety measures in high-rise buildings and public places including the police stations which were found wanting in taking such steps.
Several police stations in the City, which operate 24x7, lack basic safety equipment posing threat to the lives of people visiting the place, the detainees and the personnel. The buildings housing the police stations do not have fire extinguisher, leave alone sprinkler system and fire alarm.
On the other hand, seized inflammable items stored in those places such as illicit liquor and vehicles increase the possibility of fire spreading fast. The police stations where computers and other electronic devices are installed also face potential threat of fire due to electrical short circuit. Besides the chamber of every inspector has an air-conditioner.
DGP, Fire Service, Binoy Kumar Behera told this paper that police stations should be equipped with safety measures for handling the fire mishaps. There should be a water source or water emitting extinguishers for dousing the flames in case documents and other wooden articles catch fire.
To control fire accidents caused by short-circuits, police stations should be equipped with carbon dioxide extinguishers and dry powder extinguishers.
Similarly, to control fire caused by fuel or oil, the buildings should be equipped with foam fire extinguishers. Ideally, the police stations should have at least one such fire extinguisher, Behera said.
While DGP KB Singh asserted that the police stations are equipped with fire extinguishers, his claims were not echoed by several other officers.
Ironically, there is no provision in the fire rules of the State for the police stations to be equipped with fire safety systems. But, adequate measures can help save lives and documents in case of an eventuality.