SAMBALPUR: Fire Services personnel on Tuesday carried out simultaneous inspection of 26 buildings in different parts of the city to check fire safety measures. The 26 buildings consisted of six shopping malls, as many residential apartments, six educational institutions and eight hotels. As many as 13 teams were formed for the inspection.
Chief Fire Officer, Fire Prevention Wing, Cuttack BB Das said the inspections revealed that not a single building had complete and comprehensive fire safety measures. At some places, fire extinguishers were available but not adequate. Most of the buildings did not have proper exit routes. Besides, open spaces, corridors and escape routes were found to have been blocked in many buildings, he said.
Das said good housekeeping, which plays a vital role in fire safety, was not found in majority of the buildings. Moreover, most of the buildings lacked adequate exit signages to lead occupants to places of safety in case of any emergency, he said.The Fire department will prepare a ‘defect note’ mentioning the shortcomings in fire fighting measures in each building. Notices will be issued to the respective establishments to address the shortcomings within a specified period of time, he said. The buildings will be reinspected and a fire safety certificate will be issued if the faults are rectified.