Delhi Fire Services takes to social media to raise fire safety awareness

New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) From preventing fires in parked cars to those in buildings and houses due to electrical short-circuits, the Delhi Fire Services is taking the help of social media to raise awareness about safety measures, amid a spurt in fire incidents here due to extreme heat conditions.

"According to the weather conditions, fire calls go up or down. During extreme heat conditions, we usually receive 200 calls, of which 60 per cent are related to fire and 40 per cent related to rescuing animals and birds," Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg told PTI.

Short-circuits are a major cause of fire during this time, he said, adding that the exceptionally hot summer has only exacerbated the problem.

"Overloads have also emerged as a major cause of fire incidents. The strain on electrical systems significantly heightens fire risks," Garg said.

He said that the DFS is now taking the help of social media to spread awareness.

"Our department is making different videos to spread awareness. We have witnessed a rise in car fires. There is a very simple thing that one must understand. When we park our car in direct sunlight, we must not keep water-filled bottles as they can act as a magnifying glass and can start a fire," Garg said.

People must also avoid keeping car perfumes, deodorants, lighters and electronic items which can explode due to high temperatures, he added.

Everyone must always keep small fire extinguishers and rescue tools handy, the official added.

The DFS chief also highlighted several challenges the department faces.

Citing an example of a recent fire in the Chandni Chowk area that led to the collapse of two buildings and took three days for the cooling operation, Garg said, "The fire department faces five to six major challenges during any operation." When the fire department gets a call, be it a small or a big fire, the main target is to save lives.

"During this moment, fire tenders need to rush immediately, but congested streets, people making videos and dangling electricity wires make it hard for us to reach the affected area," Garg said.

He said one must understand that fire is something that can spread immediately and firefighters need space to douse the flames.

"I visited the Chandni Chowk area to check the operation. I asked my firefighters to stay away from the building as the strength of the building was not good and even asked several onlookers to stay away from there. Had it been a little late, many lives could have been at risk," Garg said.

Another official of the DFS said crowded areas and vehicles parked at no-parking zones add to the problems.

"We have a fleet of 240 to 250 firefighting vehicles. Large vehicles can hold 12,000 litres of water, the small ones can hold 5,000 to 3,000 litres. During firefighting, our vehicles can spray 1,800 litres of water in a minute. It takes 10 minutes to empty our tanks, but due to non-availability of water sources nearby we need to rush back to some metro station or any other location for a refill," said the official.

Many affected structures fall below the nine-metre height threshold that exempts them from acquiring a fire safety certificate from the DFS. This exemption often leads to owners ignoring essential fire safety measures, resulting in avoidable casualties and property damage.

As per data shared by the DFS, more than 55 people have lost their lives in fire-related incidents in the first five months of this year while more than 4,500 have sustained injuries. Sixteen people were killed in fire-related incidents in January, another 16 in February, 12 in March, four in April and seven till May 26.

The officials also advised people to get the wiring of electrical devices checked.

"As the load increases, it is likely that the wiring may not be able to handle it. Install MCBs in heavy equipment as they provide immediate tripping," an official said.

Recently, a major tragedy struck the city when seven newborns were killed in a massive hospital fire in the Shahdara area, prompting multiple agencies to investigate the incident and devise a strategy so that such fatal incidents are not repeated.

As per a police probe, the fire incident was allegedly a result of a gross violation of fire safety norms by the hospital.

Most of the buildings that are gutted in fire incidents lack fire safety standards and most importantly, a fire NOC, the officials said.

A fire NOC certifies that a building has been deemed to comply with the fire prevention and fire safety requirements in accordance with Rule 33 of the Delhi Fire Service Rules. PTI BM IJT