New fire engine joins the fire station

Fire mishaps during summer season

Mangaluru:  Normally during the summer season, there are fire mishaps and losses incurred due to mishaps. When such incidents take place, operations conducted by the fire personnel take the primary spot.  

Building construction business is growing in Mangaluru and rarely a multi-storeyed building or a house suffers a fire mishap. In order to handle such mishaps, the fire personnel here are equipped with the latest equipments like the aerial ladder platform. Besides, recently am new equipment known as the advanced water bowser has been inducted into the fire station at Pandeshwar. The specialty of this machine is that it has the carrying capacity of 4,500 liters of water and 500 liters of foam.

Presently, Mangaluru fire personnel are equipped with aerial ladder platform with a reach to 32 meters, rescue vehicles equipped with safety equipment, advanced water bowser with a capacity of 16,000 liters of water, water tender, quick reaction vehicle, D water pump, portable pump and other equipments to handle emergency situations.

On Thursday, when fire broke out on the 7^th floor of the multi-storeyed residential building at Bejai , the fire personnel from Kadri fire station rushed to the spot, doused the fire and prevented the mishap from escalating. But what is worth noting is that when this building was built and given to its residents, no ‘No
Objection Certificate’ (NOC) taken from the Fire Department.

In order to get an NOC from the Fire Department, the building must have enough setback space for the vehicles of the fire station to move around. Besides, during the construction phase of the building, it must be installed with the pipeline facility required to douse the fire using water or foam in any flat of the building.

This multi-storeyed building did not possess an NOC from the Fire Department. The officials from the corporation gave the license and permitted the residents to stay here. Hence the corporation is completely responsible for the fire mishap and the damages suffered by the building, inform T N Shiva Shanker, Chief Fire Officer

On Thursday, when the fire mishap occurred in the house, the inhabitants were not in the house. The residents of the house including two girl students and a woman had gone out. Those walking beneath the building observed the thick smoke billowing from the room on the 7^th floor and informed the residents of the building and the people nearby and then finally the fire station. The fire personnel rushed to the location and doused the fire.

Precautionary measures to be followed

• LPG regulator switched must be switched off
• The main switch of the power line must be switched off
• Power connection to electronic equipments including TV, fridge, laptop, inverter and others  must be switched off
• Those who have the habit of smoking cigarettes must kill the bud with water
• Keep a 1 kg CO2 fire extinguisher at home

Ready to face emergency

“Mangaluru fire station is equipped with staff and all essential equipment to handle fire mishaps from a hut to the tallest building here by rushing to the location, judging the situation and providing the necessary services. We are ready to face any situation with the essential facilities,” assures T N Shiv Shanker, Chief Fire Officer, Mangaluru

 Article by Hillary Crasta translated into English by Aaron Dmello