High-rises a new challenge to Karnal Fire Department

Parveen Arora

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Karnal, May 19

Karnal city is witnessing a spurt in high-rise buildings, which is posing a new challenge to the Karnal Fire Department as it is not fully equipped to tackle any fire incidents that break out on top floors of these buildings.

As per the information, the department does not have hydraulic ladder to locate and reach the source of the blaze in the high-rise buildings. It is dependent only on a 40-ft long manual ladder, while the high-rise buildings have over 10 storeys.

There are around 10 real estate companies, which have developed over 25 high-rise towers at different locations of the city and outside. It is claimed that all have the fire NOC and equipped with firefighting equipment, but the Fire Department is lacking facilities to douse flames in the high-rise buildings.

No hydraulic ladder

The department should have at least 150-ft long hydraulic ladder, so that any untoward incident can be controlled. —Vinny Anand, A resident

Regular checks to ensure safety norms

We have been putting up the demand for a hydraulic ladder for long. It helps in dousing flames in high-rise buildings. We are conducting regular checks on different establishments to ensure the fire safety norms are being implemented. —Rajiv Bhardwaj, Fire safety officer

One of the employees said the department did not have hydraulic ladder, which was essential to reach the source of flames in the high-rise buildings. “The department should have hydraulic ladder of at least 150-ft long, so that any untoward incident can be controlled,” said Vinny Anand, a resident.

The authorities claimed that the demand for the hydraulic ladder has been made to the higher authorities. “We have been putting up the demand for a hydraulic ladder for long . The hydraulic ladder helps in dousing flames in the high-rise buildings,” said Rajiv Bhardwaj, Fire Safety Officer (FSO).

He maintained that all high-rise buildings had the fire NOC and the department kept a regular check on all the fire safety norms being followed such as availability of fire extinguishers, sand buckets, hose reel, emergency exit doors and others.

The Karnal district has 17 fire engines comprising five small fire engines, one rescue vehicle, seven bikes to go in small lanes to douse the flames. In the wheat harvesting season, the burden on the fire engines and the employees increase, said an employee.

The department is mostly dependent on contractual staff as it has only nine regular employees while 168 are contractual employees. As per sources, the department requires more employees to tackle fire incidents.

As per the sources, only 10 per cent banquets, restaurants, hotels and marriage halls, have the fire safety NOC. Notices have been served on 61 hotel restaurants and 30 banquets and marriage halls, said Bhardwaj.

“We are conducting regular checks on different establishments to ensure the fire safety norms are being implemented,” said the FSO.