Udupi: No water in fire service vehicle dispatched to douse flames

In a significant oversight by fire service personnel, a fire brigade vehicle that was dispatched to douse a fire that broke out at a hotel near Adi Udupi on Tuesday did not have any water to combat the blaze.

Reportedly, the fire service personnel, from Brahmagiri station located merely 1.5 km away from the hotel arrived at the scene within 30 minutes. However when they were preparing to douse the fire, it was found that there was no water in the vehicle. City council member Sundar Kalamady informed that as the flames intensified the vehicle departed for Malpe stating that they would return immediately after refilling water. However, they allegdly did not return.

Luckily, it was raining and a few of the fire brigade personnel who stayed back at the spot along with the locals used the rainwater to douse the fire. However the building had suffered extensive damage until then. The incident could have been averted if the fire service personnel had arrived after checking their preparedness to douse the fire.

A representative of Udayavani tried to contact the fire brigade officials to seek clarification, but there was no response.