Illegal buildings, traffic pose challenges for firefighters
BENGALURU: Increasing urbanisation, traffic congestion and construction of illegal buildings make firefighting in the city difficult. Additionally, the shortage of fire vehicles, coupled with the new policy to scrap fire tenders older than 25 years, poses another challenge for the Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services (KSFES) department.
Speaking to TNIE, a former director of the department who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Fighting fires is not a big issue, reaching the spot is the problem due to traffic congestion and narrow roads. If fire tenders arrive early, the fire can be controlled and prevented from spreading.”
The city has many old and high-rise buildings, densely populated areas with narrow roads where fire tenders cannot even enter. With an increasing number of vehicles on the road and unplanned urbanisation, fire engines often struggle to navigate through crowded streets, delaying rescue efforts, he said.
The city’s many skyscrapers pose a challenge for firefighting, as reaching the higher floors requires specialised equipment. The fire department has specialised equipment, but it is limited for Bengaluru. The department also lacks sufficient firefighters and has not met the sanctioned strength for the state. The shortage of fire vehicles has worsened the situation. The recent policy to scrap fire tenders older than 25 years has reduced the number of available firefighting units.
A firefighter in Bengaluru said if high-rise buildings follow fire safety regulations, fighting fires is not be a big challenge. Poor fire safety compliance in many buildings, especially older ones, and building height of 21 metres is a major issue. Many lack proper fire exits, alarms, hydrants, sprinklers and access points for fire trucks, making rescue and firefighting operations more complicated.
Narrow roads prevent tenders from reaching fire
Director of KDFES and SDRF Shivashankar TN told TNIE that moving from the fire station to the fire spot is challenging, especially during peak hours. The city has 25 fire stations equipped with necessary vehicles and equipment to douse fires. When a call is received on 112 emergency service, the nearest fire station is alerted. If the fire is severe, nearby stations are also called in for assistance.
He added that fighting fires in congested residential areas and apartments is also challenging, as many houses are built without the approval of civic agencies. Roads in these areas are often only 15 to 20 feet wide, preventing fire tenders from reaching the site.
The fire department has multiple fire tenders of different sizes and capacities. To ensure rapid response and assess situations quickly, the department uses ‘Agni’ two-wheeler fire-fighting vehicles. For high-rise buildings, a 90-metre aerial ladder platform is used.
Shivashankar noted that fire incidents in high-rise buildings are rare, and firefighting in such buildings is generally not a problem, as they are equipped with fire protection systems, extinguishers, and have trained personnel.
The department has been issuing notices to buildings without No Objection Certificates (NOCs), instructing them to comply with fire safety norms. However, a key challenge in these non-NOC buildings is water capacity. The fire department recommends that high-rise buildings store 1 lakh litres of water, but many have only 15,000 litres. Additionally, narrow roads and small gates make it difficult for fire vehicles to enter the premises and move around.