Hospitals need fire safety treatment in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: More than 220 of the 230 hospitals in Bengaluru reviewed by fire department officials for safety systems and norms in place have been found to be in violation. The department had strictly given the violating hospitals two months’ time to put fire safety practices in place, failing which they would be recommended for closure, a top fire official said.

The notice period comes to an end by the end of this month, after which the fire officials will again conduct inspection to verify how many hospitals have rectified the anomalies. The directions were issued to the hospitals under the National Building Code of India. 

“About 230 hospitals were reviewed in which more than 200 did not follow the fire safety norms. We gave them 90 days’ time and action will be taken if the hospitals do not obey the rules. Few hospitals have asked for extension, but no extra time will be granted,” said Sunil Agarwal AGDP (Fire and Emergency Services), adding that most of them were private hospitals.

Following the deadly blaze in an Odisha hospital in 2016 wherein 21 people died, the city’s fire official cracked down on ensuring that the hospitals were following fire safety norms.According to Director General of Police, Fire and Emergency services, MN Reddi, it was found that most of the hospital buildings did not have proper access to their front and rear sides, and their electrical installations, too, were found to be obsolete and open to fire hazards.

They have been given two months’ time to check their electrical installations and change them if they are old to avoid a short circuits that could cause fire and smoke. In most fire accidents, it is the smoke which causes the deaths due to asphyxiation, which is why wiring needs to be updated and insulated, the officials said.“We will conduct a review at the end of this month and take action against those found failing in making necessary modifications,” Reddi said .Manoranjan Hegde, Chief Health Officer, BBMP, said that first they will seek legal advice before taking any actions against the hospitals that are found to be lacking fire safety systems and norms.