Thoughts to ponder
The direct and indirect loses due to fire in India are estimated to be more than Rs 1200 crores annually with nearly 20,000 fatal injuries. In 1997 it is estimated that total deaths due to fire were higher than 25,000. These figures do not include losses do not include losses due to forest fires or fires in rural areas. With rapid rise in industrialization and urbanization, fire accidents and resulting losses are increasing at a much faster rate due to several factors as high rise construction, congestion in squatter and slum pockets, inner city areas, changing life style and other man made material used in construction.
The actual losses due to fire cases are far higher than what are actually reported. The general cause for the fires and more importantly the fire spread, are also often not reported correctly. Short circuit has been quoted as the cause of almost all the fires, which might not be the actual case. Lack of proper installations of Active Fire Protection Systems, lack of regular maintenance, fake fire approval certificates are few of the other probable causes showing loopholes in our system which costs us very heavily.
Despite the provisions available for fire safety in National Building Code, Part IV, a techno-legal regime is yet to be established in most states. Fire safety in India is a state subject. They are controlled in some states by Director of Fire Services, and in others by head of police force, but the regular instruments like building bye-laws regulations, development control rules have not been suitably amended to include mandatory compliance of fire safety measures in planning, design and construction in planning design and construction of the buildings.
Lack of proper buildings codes and more importantly the enforcement of the codes are loopholes in the system. It is important that both Central and State Govt., work together towards establishing a techno-local regime in every state and proper legislative support is set up, to ensure the enforcement of these codes.
With the lack of awareness in the latest fire protection developments, traditional mindset, loopholes in the codes, building experts have experienced fire as an 'formality subject'. Getting a no objection certificate from the fire authorities is the prime objective, rather than actual fire safety measures being implemented. This is mainly due to lack of proper planning, during the design stage for these applications which if implemented in the final stages projects extra costs. Building experts should play the role of fire safety engineers using risk - based design where costs for fire risk and fire safety are integrated and optimized.
Awareness is the key for a fire safe tomorrow. Lack of awareness among architects specifiers, consultants and building owners adds heavily to the situation. Fire safety management should be made a compulsory syllabi, in all the educational courses related to the construction industry eg: Architectural, Civil Engineering and Fire Engineering Courses.
Latest developments in the field of Passive fire Protection and Advanced fire Detection Systems, in the European and the Asia Pacific region with an ever increasing awareness has been a major factor in managing and reducing fire cases and thereby saving invaluable lives and properties.
Civil bodies must work with Fire Service authorities to ensure their role besides organizing, administering, and running fire fighting units to attack. Control and extinguish fire as soon as occur to :
- Examine plans of new buildings proposed to be constructed, and call for changes as considered necessary.
- Inspect the building soon after it is completed in details to verify compliance with plans submitted and with building codes and then issue a Fire Certificate.
- Inspect the building with and without prior notice to check for any violation and suggest from time to teem for changes or additions in the safety measures, in line with the latest developments.
- Inspect the building soon after a fir, to check whether Active and Passive Fire Protection Systems had been functional and if not the reasons for the same.
These aspects needs to be properly covered under regulatory or legislative instruments, which in most case are unfortunately not in position in the country.
Fire case Siddartha Hotel
22nd Jan '86
- Electric short circuit from false ceiling.
- Smoke spread through vertical shafts and ducts.
Reports
- No battery backup for emergency services. All electrical services including emergency fed from same electrical circuit.
- No smoke extraction system.
- Wet risers and hose reels, non-operational, due to no electric supply
- No horizontal or vertical compartmentation.
Casualties
37 dead (35 smoke, 1 burn, 1 fall)
Fire case-Uphaar Cinema
13th June '97
- Fire at the transformer room (parking area)
- Smoke spread to the auditorium.
Report
- Stilt floor not cross ventilated
- Non-segregated staircase
- Uncompartmented transformer room
- Failure of sprinkler system
- Lack of maintenance
Causalities
59 dead (all smoke)