Fire safety audit at 22 hospitals in Prayagraj

Prayagraj: The major blaze at Lucknow's Lokbandhu Hospital has proved to be an eye-opener for the police, fire, and district authorities. The fire department, on Tuesday, launched a special fire safety audit at hospitals located in city, trans-Ganga and trans-Yamuna pocket of the district. Chief Fire Officer (Prayagraj) RK Pandey told TOI that a team from the fire department on Tuesday conducted the fire audit at 22 hospitals including eight in city, five in Naini, five in Soraon and Phaphamau, two each in Meja and Handia and issued a set of directives to the authorities concerned.

He added that five teams were formed to check the status of fire-fighting arrangements in private and govt hospitals in the city, Naini, Handia, Meja, Phulpur, Soraon, Koraon, and Bara. CFO added, "The fire department officials will interact with hospital management to improve fire safety apparatus or action would be initiated if they fail to meet the required measures." Fire officials have asked hospital management to change old electric wiring and outdated fire-fighting equipment while carrying out checks at some hospitals in the city," said the CFO, adding, "The management of hospitals are also asked to go through electric safety audits".

Officials are also checking whether the establishments in the city have obtained NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the Electrical Safety Directorate or not and take actions accordingly. However, officials of the fire department, taking a cue from Lucknow's hospital fire, have advised the management of different hospitals to opt for an electric safety audit from the Electrical Safety Directorate at the earliest. Fire department officials have also advised management to go for new wiring as old wiring is unable to bear increased load and often causes short circuits.

Pandey, meanwhile, said, "A four-point safety guideline has also been issued, appealing to the authorities concerned to ensure that clearance should be maintained on exit routes and each and every shop owner should install firefighting arrangements."