Delhi: How Fire Safe Are Government Buildings?

As many as 43 people were killed, and 16 were injured as a massive fire broke out in Delhi’s Anaj Mandi factory on Sunday morning.

As soon as the fire was reported at 5:22 AM on Sunday, about 35 fire tenders were rushed to the are. However, narrow lanes and crowded buildings made it difficult for emergency personnel to reach the location in time.

The incident has once again put a question mark on the fire safety in government buildings.

Government Buildings Violating Fire Safety Rules

Many government buildings in the heart of the Capital hardly show any regard for the fire safety norms.

This year, the Delhi Fire Service sent a letter to the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department (PWD) to ensure that fire safety certificates are issued to all such buildings. The letter accessed by Mail Today claimed that several buildings don’t have the mandatory ‘No Objection Certificates’ (NOC) due to shortcoming of the fire safety system.

The buildings include Shastri Bhawan, Indraprastha Bhawan, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, CGO Complex, to name a few. Out of the total 3,195 posts sanctioned for fire officials, 1,495 are vacant. Out of 90 stations, 59 are running without station officers.

Every year, the Fire Department responds to 30,000 calls.

Horrific news from Delhi this morning. 35 people, mostly labourers, killed in massive fire at Anaj Mandi on Delhi’s Rani Jhansi Road. They were asleep when the the fire broke out. 56 injured rescued, 30 fire tenders on site. pic.twitter.com/VqxVfYuFG4

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) December 8, 2019

Negligence Triggered Fire In Delhi

When the fire broke out at the Anaj Mandi, the four-story building was packed with sleeping labourers.

The area is filled with factories and small manufacturing units. Most of these operate from old, cramped quarters and do not follow any fire safety and municipal norms.

According to fire authorities, they often receive fire calls from the area. However, authorities never took any action against the illegal factories being run in the lanes, which are so narrow that it becomes difficult for even a single vehicle to pass through.

The factory was operating in a residential area and had no fire safety provisions.

Many trapped inside the building called their families for the last time and informed them that they might not come out alive.

Her father is missing. Stories from family members of labourers killed or missing from the Anaj Mandi fire in Delhi are horrifying and tragic. Many are migrants, in Delhi to earn a living, leaving behind families who depended on them. pic.twitter.com/MBMqNGaFaf

— Amandeep Singh ਅਮਨਦੀਪ ਮਿਂਘ (@journoaman) December 8, 2019

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