BENGALURU: A day after a fire tore through Lakshmi Commercial Complex in Kumbarpet area of Bengaluru Central City Corporation (BCCC), Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao instructed officials to constitute a committee to prepare a comprehensive report on preventing and controlling fire accidents in the commercial areas of Chickpet.
He directed officials to strictly implement precautionary measures to ensure such incidents do not recur. “There was a fire accident last year in Nagarathpet, within Chickpet area. In view of recurrence of a fire in Kumbarpet, I instructed officials to form a committee comprising representatives from the GBA, BCCC, Fire and Emergency Services and Bescom, to conduct a detailed inquiry into causes of the accident and submit a comprehensive report on effective measures to prevent and control such incidents,” he said.
To effectively prevent fire accidents, hydrant systems must be installed at key locations, Rao said. He also directed that CCTV cameras be installed to monitor the hydrant systems.
According to fire personnel engaged in containing the fire at Lakshmi Commercial Complex, fire tenders could not gain direct access to the site due to the narrow road. “The blaze was extinguished by laying hose lines from a distance of approximately 300metres. Containing fire is a big challenge in areas with narrow bylanes, and in absence of fire hydrants,” he said.
Central City Corporation Commissioner Rajendra Cholan, Additional Commissioner Daljit Kumar, Joint Commissioner Hemanth Sharan, Chief Engineer Vijay Kumar Haridas, Superintendent Engineer, Executive Engineers, and other officials were present.
Preventing fire accidents
Comprehensive inspection of buildings to be done
Fire safety systems, fire extinguishers to be made mandatory in all commercial buildings in Chickpet jurisdiction
Buildings that fail to install fire safety systems to be sealed
Meeting to be convened with trade associations to discuss precautionary measures, ensure mandatory compliance
Electricity supply to be immediately disconnected to unauthorised buildings, notices issued to halt construction. If portions violating sanctioned plan are not removed, criminal cases to be registered against building owners
Unsafe buildings to be inspected, notices issued to undertake necessary safety measures