When it comes to fire safety,rules don’t matter

Experts say violation of fire safety norms like absence of smoke detectors and outdated and insufficient fire extinguishers is common in many buildings in the city.

“There are furniture stores,banks and government buildings in which no care is taken. Whether it’s the office of a petroleum oil company or a government office in the Sector-7 market,all have outdated fire extinguishing cylinders,” a source said. “A bank in the same sector has only one fire extinguisher for an area of 5,000 sq feet.”

Chief Fire Officer P K Sharma said: “It’s true that many business establishments do not comply with fire safety norms. In many cases,fire extinguishers are outdated and have no pressure in the cylinders. Also,smoke detectors,which can alert people,are missing.”

Sharma said the Fire department conducted regular checks and issued notices to those who did not follow fire safety norms.

Fire safety norms
* Location and number of fire extinguishers should be decided according to the material stored in a building.
* Expert advice should be taken in installing fire safety equipment and smoke detectors.
* Fire fighting equipment and signage should be prominently displayed.