Kirti Nagar fire: Shop owners start training workers in fire safety

New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) Shopkeepers and warehouse owners in west Delhi's Kirti Nagar are training their employees in fire safety and emergency response in the wake of a fire incident that claimed two people's lives.

Several businesses are now conducting fire drills, instructing employees on the use of fire extinguishers, and teaching them the importance of rapid evacuation.

"Traders are now taking steps to prevent similar incidents. Our main motive is to save lives during such conditions. We are teaching our employees how to use fire equipment promptly to protect themselves," a trader said, as he showed fire extinguishers kept at his shop.

Atul Rai, 45, a labourer, and Nand Kishor, 65, a rickshaw puller died in a major fire in the area on Sunday.

"Both were sleeping on the terrace of the godown when the fire broke out on Sunday morning," a shopkeeper said.

Narendra Singh, the owner of a furniture shop, said that many businesses in the area use rooftops for wood polishing, but the chemicals used in this process are highly flammable.

"To protect against dust and dirt, polishing work is often done on rooftops. However, the chemicals used in the polishing process are highly flammable and reactive, which poses a fire risk," he said.

Since some labourers live in rooms on the rooftop, fire extinguishers have been installed on each floor as a precaution, he said.

Harsh Khandelwal, whose shop is adjacent to the burnt godown, said fire risk is great in the market since most shops are tightly clustered.

"This area is prone to fire incidents because the shops are situated close together. If one shop catches fire, it can easily spread to others," he said.

He said he has installed fire extinguishers in his shop and on the terrace.

Another shopkeeper said he has instructed his workers to keep the terrace clean and store all chemicals used for wood polishing away from fabric materials to reduce fire risks.

Erratic parking in the market lanes made it difficult for the fire tenders to reach the godown on blaze on Sunday.

Electrical short circuits are also a major concern in the area, some traders pointed out.

"We make it a point to turn off all electrical appliances before closing our shops," a shopkeeper said. PTI SHB BM NIT SHB ARD VN VN