Keep fire brigade out of non-fire work:Times of India

Kalbadevi Blaze Probe Panel Submits Report

A seven-member panel, which probed the recent Kalbadevi blaze, has recommended that the fire brigade should not be involved in nonfire activities. The report was released on Tuesday , three weeks after the incident.

It recommends the setting up of fire chowkies, or mini fire tenders, in congested areas like Kalbadevi.

The four-storey Gokul Niwas was over five decades old and made of a wooden structure, which caused the fire to spread swiftly on May 9, the report said. The structure subsequently collapsed, causing the death of four senior fire officers, including chief fire officer Sunil Nesarikar.

The terms of reference of the panel, formed by the municipal commissioner, included: Finding out the cause of the fire, the response and action taken, lacunae in activating and mobilizing human and material resources, preparedness, strengthening of methodology for dissemination of information to stakeholders, and long-term measures to be taken for fire safety of all old buildings in crowded areas.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted, “I have received the Kalbadevi fire report. Directed BMC commissioner to make it public.Upgrading and modernization be taken up immediately .“

The report has made many recommendations like the need for a new standard operating procedure.

It stated that it appeared that the response system was not followed at Kalbadevi. It said four out of seven senior fire officials were unavailable at the time of the incident.

“On account of the chief fire officer, who was in-charge at the time of the incident, himself being injured critically , it distracted the attention of firemen involved in fire-fighting.There is a need for an incident commander to be appointed in case of such untoward incidents in Mumbai,“ the report stated.

Committee chairman Dr Sanjay Mukherjee said, “The report speaks about making the Mumbai fire brigade more disciplined, with non-fire activities to be separated from their work purview. We also suggested a need based assessment for having fire chowkies in congested and narrow areas.“ Additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh will be incharge of the fire brigade, and implement the recommendations.

The fire brigade issued a showcause notice to a fireman for giving an interview after the Kalbadevi fire.