Buildings in city get just 30 days to fix fire-fighting systems

A massive fire broke out at One Avighna Park on October 22. Pic/Ashish Raje

The municipal corporation has reduced the period of compliance to fire safety rules for establishments to a month from nearly four months before, in view of several incidents over the past one month, said sources. The Mumbai Fire Brigade earlier gave societies 120 days to get their non-operational fire fighting system working.

It is mandatory to have an efficient fire-fighting system in the buildings, but it has come to light that many irresponsible establishments are ignoring this mandate, the sources added. Therefore, the BMC has now undertaken a special campaign for fire safety. A team of four to five officials from each ward would go to the societies and establishments to check their fire safety system.

According to the fire officials' current plan, it will be mandatory to take corrective measures in case of non-functional fire fighting systems, and establishments will have to submit a report within a month. Failure to do so may attract legal action, followed by power and water supply cuts.

The action has been particularly intensified after the fire accident at One Avighna Park society in Currey Road on October 22. So far, about 40 societies have been issued notices to fix their systems within a month, said sources.

"A special drive is underway to crack down on unscrupulous establishments to prevent fire accidents, and the measures will be logically taken within a month. This action is being taken according to the Fire Acts," said a senior fire official.

In the previous investigations, where teams had visited various residential societies, commercial places and other establishments, notices were issued to 327 societies that do not have a fire-fighting system.

Besides, the fire brigade also conducted audits of 1,517 hospitals and nursing homes, and found that 247 private hospitals/nursing homes and six municipal hospitals did not have a fire-fighting system. They were served notices and 235 of these places have complied to the orders and are now equipped with fire-fighting equipment.

40
No. of societies told to fix the system in a month, as per sources