Ludhiana coaching centre vacated after minor fire, no casualty reported

The fire broke out in the multi-storey building, which runs a coaching centre, in Ludhiana’s Mode Town due to a suspected short circuit at around noon; blaze was brought under control soon after

Panic gripped the tuition market in Model Town extension on Tuesday after a minor fire incident was reported at one of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) institutes — CANAM, caused by a suspected short circuit.

A Ludhiana coaching centre was vacated during working hours after a minor fire broke out. (HT File (Representative image))

Though the centre was operational, no injury or casualty was reported from the spot as students and faculty were rushed out of the building soon after the staff found out about the fire.

As per the information, the fire broke out at a corner of the multi-storey building due to a short circuit at around noon.

As the market witnesses heavy footfall on a daily basis due to the presence of multiple coaching centres, a crowd gathered outside the building. Videos of the fire have since gone viral on social media.

The coaching institute staff brushed the fire off as a minor incident, adding that the blaze was soon brought under control using fire extinguishers.

Institute manager HS Garcha said they had made proper fire safety arrangements in the building and the flames were doused using the fire extinguishers installed in the building. As the flames were controlled shortly after the fire first broke out, they did not call the fire brigade. The building was, however, vacated as a precautionary step.

Fire station officer (FSO), Maninder Singh said the fire brigade did not receive any information of calls about fire.

Efforts to ensure fire safety arrangements at tinderbox coaching centres continue to drag

A majority of the coaching centres in the city are sitting on a powder keg with inadequate fire safety arrangements in their respective buildings.

With a lack of proper ventilation, separate fire exits and fire safety arrangements like sprinklers, hydrants, the owners of coaching centres have failed to learn a lesson from the 2019 fire at a centre in Surat, Gujarat — wherein 22 people, including students, lost their lives.

The fire brigade conducted inspections at over a dozen coaching institutes in Model Town market between March and June and notices were served under section 5 of the Punjab Fire Safety Measures and Prevention and Control of Fire Act, 2012. The officials also warned the owners of imposing a penalty up to ₹50,000 in case of failure to ensure requisite fire safety arrangements, but no action has been taken since.

Earlier on March 16, the municipal corporation had also issued public notices asking coaching centres to make fire safety arrangements in a month’s time or face strict action. Nothing, however, has materialised on ground.

A fire brigade official said higher authorities had agreed to give the market associations some time to make the arrangements, adding that action will be taken against violators after discussing the issue with the authorities.

Tuition Market Welfare Association president Gurinder Singh, meanwhile, said a number of building owners have already initiated the process to ensure fire safety, adding, “We are also concerned about the safety of students and our staff. All the efforts are being made to ensure fire safety, to avoid any untoward incident.”

A resident of Model Town extension, Harpreet Singh said hundreds of students attend coaching classes at the several coaching centres in the area and authorities should make proper arrangements given the high risk involved.

Despite attempts, MC secretary Neeraj Jain remained unavailable for comments.

(with inputs from Harsimran Batra)