Disaster looms as fire safety ignored
More than 2,500 hospitals, educational institutions and shopping malls in the capital and its outskirts lack adequate fire safety measures, posing a serious risk of casualties in case of fire, reveals an inspection report of the fire department.
Of the 2,612 establishments inspected last year, 2,538 were found to be either "risky" or "very risky" while only 74 had fire safety measures.
Eleven teams of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence (BFSCD) carried out the inspection in 11 zones in the city and its outskirts. Based on their findings, they put the establishments in three categories -- "very risky", "risky" and "satisfactory".
The BFSCD listed an establishment in the risky category if it didn't have any fire exit plan, fire detection and alarm systems, fire extinguishers, hose reels and water reservoir, among others.
The establishments, which have neither fire safety measures nor accessible roads, fall in the very risky category, said BFSCD officials.
Of the 432 private and public hospitals inspected, 174 were found to be very risky, 247 risky and the other 11 satisfactory.
A number of reputed hospitals are on the list of very risky and risky establishments, according to the report.
Of the 1,191 private and government-owned malls, supermarkets and kitchen markets inspected, 523 were very risky while only 45 were found to be satisfactory.
The report showed a gloomy state of the educational institutions inspected, as 971 of the 989 institutions lacked fire safety measures. The fire department found 91 institutions very risky and 880 risky.
Mirpur, Tejgaon and Savar have the maximum number of vulnerable establishments, says the report.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan, director general of the BFSCD, said, "We found a grim picture in our inspection."
Among the establishments inspected, the hospitals are in a very vulnerable situation, he said.
A fire at such hospitals and clinics would result in heavy casualties, said the DG.
Besides, hospitals and clinics keep oxygen cylinders, chemicals and other highly flammable materials that could cause fire to spread quickly, he added.
The DG said their inspection teams found that many buildings didn't have proper fire exit routes.
"This is very dangerous in the event of a fire," he said.
Bangladesh National Building Code clearly explains everything about fire safety, fire resistance and fire escape routes in buildings.
The code says the fire exit route has to be designed in a way that it is unobstructed. A building will have fire-rated doors and be connected directly to the road outside for easy access and exit.
Ahmed said the number of fire incidents has been rising due to a lack of awareness and unwillingness to put in place fire safety measures because it involves investment.
"We must understand that these measures have to be taken for the sake of our life and property," he said.
According to the fire department, the number of fire incidents more than tripled in the last 21 years.
In 1996, the number was 5,376 which rose to 18,105 last year.
The DG suggested setting up "satellite fire stations" at different points in the capital so that they could rush immediately to the spot whenever a fire incident occurs.
Talking to this newspaper, an expert stressed the need for periodical inspections of establishments to avert big disasters.
"Everybody knows that we are sitting on a ticking bomb," said architect Iqbal Habib.
Given the existing situation, if a fire incident occurs, the consequences would be colossal, he cautioned.
"I don't know what we are waiting for despite knowing all these problems."
Iqbal, also a member-secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, said the fire department acts only after an incident.
"But who will do regular monitoring so that such incidents don't take place?"
He said there should be a “compliance commission” to inspect periodically mechanical equipment at establishments.
To avert possible disasters, the government should at least take the initiative to inspect those establishments where a large number of people gather, Iqbal added.
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