Flagging increasing fires at airports, AAI calls for basic fire-fighting training for all staff

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 28

Flagging an increasing number of fires at airports, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), while issuing guidelines on mitigating the hazard, has emphasised on all its employees deployed at airports to be trained in fire-fighting.

“To minimise the risk of loss of life, damage to property and flight disruption, it is essential that all AAI employees engaged in airport operation and air traffic service are aware of fire reporting and trained in basic fire-fighting rescue operation,” a safety advisory issued by AAI states.

“Recent occurrences of building fires at some of the international and domestic airports raise concern about the maintenance and operation of fire prevention equipment, preparedness to deal with contingency situations and storage of material prone to catch fire at places within operational buildings,” AAI has pointed out.

Fires at work can be devastating. They pose a risk not only to the life of people engaged in civil aviation inside the building but also to the machines and vital facilities essential for civil aviation, besides affecting the general public.

“Fire in a terminal building can create chaos and may result in casualty or flight disruption. On the other hand, fire in an operational building housing air traffic services or navigational equipment can result in a contingency not only at airports but also for aircraft in the air,” the advisory states.

There have been several recent incidents of fire. Earlier this month, a bag in which some unauthorised chemical was being carried caught fire at Mumbai airport, following which five persons were arrested.

In July, a fire had broken out at the air traffic control tower at Madurai airport that was under construction. In May, a fire had broken out in the control tower at Chennai airport, while another fire incident was reported at Delhi airport.

A study by two Indian authors, titled ‘Analysis of Fire Accidents in Airports and Its Mitigation Measures’ published by International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering, Management and Applied Science in 2018, had listed India among the top 10 countries in the number of fatal civil aircraft accidents since 1945.

“Fires and explosions were, and continue to be, the greatest threats to the safety of personnel and the survivability of all aircraft," the study had observed while stressing that only preparation and effective fire prevention facilities will allow successful handling of such situations.

Pointing out that while fires may be unpredictable and destructive, they are also highly preventable, AAI has listed out do’s and don’ts and stressed upon the adherence to standard operating procedures and laid down instructions in handling equipment, cargo, following safety protocols and reporting incidents.