Fire safety breach: Notice served to 15 buildings in Odisha

JEYPORE: With the Delhi fire tragedy prompting all States to tighten fire safety measures in public buildings, Jeypore unit of Odisha Fire Services on Wednesday slapped notices on 15 government and private buildings including Koraput Medical College and Hospital (MCH) for violating the prescribed norms. 

While demand for fires safety regulations in hotels, hospitals, court buildings, petrol bunks, theatres, kalyan mandaps and shopping malls was growing for quite some time. the Fire Services unit, with help from counterparts in Koraput and Pottangi, started an inspection drive on Monday. 

As on Wednesday, 40 buildings across the district were scanned out of which 15, including the Koraput MCH, were found to be violating the safety norms.

The team found that MCH is susceptible to fire mishaps as it does not even have minimum safety measures.

All 15 violators were served notices to put in place measures and requisite equipment for fire prevention, safety and emergency evacuation in case of mishaps.

On the other hand, the Collectorate and court buildings in Jeypore and Koraput were found to be fire safety compliant with all emergency resources in place.

Incidentally, the district headquarters hospital in Jeypore which started operating three years back, sought fire safety certificate only a few days back. 

The drive has elicited encouraging response from various quarters in the wake of growing incidents of fire tragedies.

“Every building used by public should maintain basic resources to ensure prevention and fire safety measures so that there’s minimum loss to life and property. This is needed not just in urban areas but in remote tribal pockets as well,” said chairman of Koraput rice millers’ association Girija Sankar Dash. 

“The recent drive by the fire services unit here is a welcome move and should be carried out on regular basis to ensure strict adherence to the rules,” said another Chitaranjan Satpathy, a social activist.

Fire officer of Jeypore, Kunu Nayak said the team will again inspect fire safety norms in other parts of the district.

“Our staff checked all major government and private establishments and authorities concerned have been asked to maintain the norms for public safety,” he added.