Negligence to fire safety: A burning issue

Accidental fires are one of the biggest threats to urban life in India. According to National Crime Records Bureau data 2015, fire accidents alone have claimed the lives of more than 3 lakh people in India during the period of 2001-14. The data suggest, around 59 people die daily due to fire mishaps, making it the greatest amongst any other natural calamity or disaster in terms of death toll. The issues need urgent attention and implementation of better fire safety measures should ensue at all levels

With the rapid growth in infrastructure, India has witnessed a steep rise in the construction of buildings especially high rise buildings (taller than 15 m). It is often seen and reported that many of these constructions often fail to comply with the fire safety norms established by the National Building Code of India and hence are more susceptible to fire mishaps. The most recent of such major accidents occurred in Surat on May 24, 2019. The devastating fire occurred in a commercial complex called Takshashila Arcade due to a short circuit and spread by inflammable plastic, which according to reports was extensively used in the walls and roofs of the classes in direct violation of fire safety norms. Around 70 students were entrapped in the building as the building had no proper fire safety measures in place. Unfortunately, out of 70, 22 students ended up losing their lives.
Flouting fire safety norms is not, however, a recent phenomenon in India as made evident by cases like the Delhi’s Uphaar cinema fire (1997) and AMRI Hospital (Kolkata) fire of 2011, both of which dealt huge losses.
Delhi’s Uphaar cinema fire (1997)
In one of the greatest fire-related tragedies Delhi has faced, a major fire blazed Uphaar cinema with 59 people killed in it and seriously injured 103 people. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the fire broke out due to loose connections in the electric circuitry of the theatre and the fatalities of the incident grew due to the ignorance towards proper fire safety measures.
The fire safety norm violations included: No functional public announcement system as no announcements were made when the fire broke out; No emergency lights, footlights, exit lights (The cinema hall was in pitch darkness when the fire broke out); Blocked gangways (the hall had made unauthorized extensions and additions to seats); Blocked exits (many exit doors – including the one leading to the terrace – and gates were locked); Unauthorized use of premises (shops were being run from spaces supposed to be empty).
In the wake of the tragedy, the families of the victims joined hands together and formed the Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT). The purpose of the organization is to make India prepared for such incidents. They regularly organize seminars, debates, workshops, etc. to highlight the lack of basic safety measures in public spaces especially in educational institutions, multiplexes & malls in an effort to prevent the occurrence of such incidences in the future.
2011 AMRI Hospital fire on December 9, 2011, a private hospital caught a major fire due to a short circuit in the basement. The fire was propagated by some inflammable material which were stored in the basement of the building, flouting a major fire safety norm. 160 patients were being treated at the hospital at the time of the incident, out of which 89 died in the accident. Also, the arrival of the fire brigade was delayed and the incident has become the most devastating, in terms of the loss of life, India has seen in its recent history.

Lack of proper safety measures
In an effort to reduce the outbreak of Surat like incidents, authorities all over India have geared up their efforts to curb such accidents in the future. Upon inspections of high buildings in various states, gross lack of fire preparedness was found. Buildings were found lacking in fire safety measures such as the upkeep of fire extinguishers, emergency exit doors, fire exit routes and their markings and assembly areas, and construction complying with fire safety norms. Ignorance towards basic safety procedures such as evacuation drills and use of flammable materials in cladding and partitions walls also was an underlying theme in the general lax attitude towards fire safety norms. Densification of areas, non-compliance of fire safety norms while construction— which leads to local traffic congestion or on-street parking that constricts fire tender movement or delays their access to the affected area can also be held accountable for inadequate disaster preparedness.
Most of the lacking factors mentioned in the above segment are required according to the norms set by the National Building Code. Hence, regular inspections to enforce the fire safety norms is essential in order to avoid the unpredictable occurrences of fires.
Post the incidents of the 2018 fire in Delhi’s Arpit Hotel and the more recent Surat fire, many building owners had been questioned for not following safety norms. They pointed out that the builders were responsible for measures such as smoke detector systems, sprinkler systems, public address systems and emergency staircases. Most of the establishments are equipped with these provisions but negligence and lack of upkeep and inappropriate installations make them semi-operational, which is inapt in dealing with the rampant fires which end up consuming the entire construction.
States are independently charged with the penalty imposition on defaulters. The Delhi Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act, 1986, states “Contravention of any of the provisions of the Bill will be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine up to Rs 50,000, or with both. In the case of continuing offences, the offender will be liable for punishment of fine up to Rs 3000 daily for which the offence is continued. It is to be noted that Delhi didn’t have any set punishment for the flouting of norms till 1986; it may be deduced that the existing penalty is quite outdated. As lives are at risk due to violations of the safety norms, more serious actions against violators must be taken. Moreover, most experts agree that a standardized punishment for violators across the nation must be established.

The first responders
Even if the fire safety measures installed in a building are ideal, chances are that a raging fire could still overpower them and spread none the less. Urban Local Bodies are tasked with the administration of the fire services. However, the means of fighting fires are lacking throughout the nation and hence the fire departments are often less effective in their operation. The 2010 incident in Bangalore’s high rise Carlton Tower where 9 people died and several were injured is a case in point. All of the people who died in the incident jumped off the building to save their lives. The firemen who rushed to the incident through dense traffic had no chutes, no cushions, and no equipment to disperse the smoke like the smoke extractor or high pressure water pumps, reported the Bangalore Mirror. The same was also evident during the rescue operation in Surat where the fire brigade was not equipped with life-saving nets or long rescue ladders.
A 2016 report published by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, found gross deficits in the functioning of Delhi Fire Service (DFS). In its draft report, CAG said that the DFS is ill-equipped to deal with fire emergencies as it has only six rescue vehicles and one solitary ambulance against the required 19 rescue vehicles. Similar trends have been observed in other cities as well.
Another concern shared by many fire departments is the lack of manpower. During the summers, fire departments deal with a surge in the number of calls even as the department tackles shortage in manpower and infrastructure.

New Advancements in the field of fire fighting
On an international level, tremendous advancements have been made in the field of firefighting. Better technology has enabled scientists and engineers across the world to develop more efficient means to fight menacing fires, some of which are mentioned below-
Sound Wave Fire Extinguisher
Two engineering students at George Mason University, USA, have harnessed sound energy to douse fires. Their chemical-free, water-free extinguisher employs sound waves to separate burning fuel from oxygen. Fire dies out without oxygen, so using the sound wave extinguisher on a small fire snuffs it out.
Water Mist System
This system improves on the typical sprinkler systems, and is reckoned to be a major part of the future of firefighting. Instead of deploying large droplets of water, water mist systems send out a fine mist that smothers a fire. Since the droplets are smaller, the mist systems create more of them.
Birdi-Fire & Carbon Monoxide Detector
The system monitors air quality, from high pollen counts to the presence of carbon monoxide. The in-house monitor reports to the user’s smartphone and can call first responders via landline. Birdi is recognized for its ability to catch fast and slow-burning fires quickly.
Video Image Smoke Detection
VISD technology detects smoke and flames visually. It can pinpoint the place where smoke begins. A computer analyzes whether images from cameras show evidence of smoke or flames. Once either is detected, a signal is sent to the alarm system. It can read the brightness, contrast, motion, and color of the smoke to assess the fire.