Pune Municipal Corporation ready to deal with fire incidents during festive celebrations
Fire brigade holds inspections at restaurants, forms eight teams to deal with eventualities
Against the backdrop of fire incidents at Kamla Mills last year on December 29 and Patil Estate on November 28, 2018, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is geared up to deal with fire incidences for the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations. The fire brigade has formed eight teams to deal with any eventuality and has also inspected city restaurants planning parties on new year eve. Meanwhile, taking lessons from the fire incident in the last year, the fire brigade has been extra cautious in giving permissions to restaurants.
According to the central fire station divisional fire officer Sunil Gilbile, all precautionary arrangements have been made by the civic body to avoid fire incidences.
“With the help of eight teams headed by eight station officers, we are keeping a watch during the festival celebrations. As per our earlier experiences, there were hardly any fire calls during this festival season.So as a precautionary measure on the backdrop of Mumbai fire incidence we are ready to deal with any situation,’’ said Gilbile.
According to the PMC fire department, the civic fire department is ready to deal with any kind of situation during the festival celebrations with 13 fire vehicles, 5 water tankers, 2 rescue vans, 3 hydraulic platform and 8 mini fire vehicles.
The civic officials said all the 13 fire stations under the PMC jurisdiction are instructed to be ready to deal with any kind of fire incidents during celebrations. “We have given special attention to the management of staff and fire calls for dealing with emergency cases,” Gilbile said.
According to the fire brigade officials in Pune, restaurants should have enough emergency exits. All pubs, as well as, restaurants keeping fire-related decorative items should have a separate arrangement for fire safety.
The civic body has already given no objection certificates (NOC) to restaurant and hotel operators considering all firefighting norms to be fulfilled. So restaurant owners should approach police commissionerate seeking for permission regarding for the organisation of the party.
“Considering recent fire incident in Patil Estate on November 28, where over 100 slums were gutted in the fire, we are ready to avoid fire incidents during Christmas and new year celebrations. We have received special instructions from our seniors to keep watch on city especially party celebrations going on in the city,’’ said, Pradip Sonawane fire officer at PMC fire department.
Meanwhile, 90 firemen along with fire inspectors have been highly trained to tackle fire incidences. According to the PMC currently, 490 is the strength of the civic fire department which will keep a watch in various parts of the city.
City fire brigade team ready to fight fire incidents
Fire stations - 13
Fire vehicles - 13
Water tankers -5
Rescue van -2
Hydraulic platform- 3
Mini fire vehicles - 8