Bhopal: The massive blaze at a pub in Mumbai in which 14 people were killed has raised concerns of fire safety at hundreds of public places across the state capital. Though there is flagrant violation of safety norms at city eateries and restaurants, other places like hospital and medical facilities also lack fire emergency preparedness. The horrifying inferno at AMRI Hospital in Kolkata that claimed 89 lives on December 10,2011 send chills down spine.
A number of hospitals in city are flouting safety instructions and guidelines. A many of them are located in congested areas having single exit and entry point. Congested lanes make it difficult for fire fighters to carry out rescue operations.
Hospitals like Rain Bow Children Hospital (Rang Mahal), Ashta Hospital (Jawahar Chowk), Charak Hosptial, Nahar Hospital, Malviya Nagar, Vardhan Hospital, Jahangirabad claims to have sufficient fire extinguishers to deal with any exigency. However, their fire disaster preparedness ends with installing fire extinguishers, while all other fire safety norms are not being followed.
The administration of Vardan Hospital, in Jahangirabad, though claims that they are well equipped to deal any emergency, however, decries the encroachments copped near its gate. “We have sufficient fire extinguishers. There is enough space to even park four fire fighters. However, motor mechanics and other establishments have encroached upon the area near the hospital,” said its director Dr Neeraj Rai, adding that it was not his fault and authorities should get it cleared.
Rainbow Children Hospital, Rang Mahal, has single exit and entry point. It is one of major hospitals for children. Shabahad Khan, administrator of the Hospital accepted that is only single entry and exit gate but assured that they have sufficient fire extinguishers. We organise mock drill to train the staff to handle such situation, added Khan.
Nahar Hospital director Akshay Nahar stressed on more than one outlet in hospitals sating that they also have a side gate at their facility. He too claimed that their medical facility has sufficient arrangement of fire extinguishers .
