Fire safety norm violation?Staircase entrance of Jogeshwari trauma care centre is locked

Despite the frequent incidents of fire in the city, HT found out that the Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Centre in Jogeshwari, is not fire-compliant.

Despite the frequent incidents of fire in the city, HT found out that the Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Centre in Jogeshwari, is not fire-compliant. In violation of fire safety norms, the 13-storey hospital has locked the entrance to the staircase on the fourth floor operation theatre (OT).

When the HT reporter visited the hospital, the staircase was barricaded with a lock. The entrance to the staircase on other floors however, were open.

When HT contacted the fire department, they confirmed that accessible fire exits in a 13-storey hospital are mandatory and violations can lead to the cancellation of the hospital’s license. “So far, we haven’t received any complaints but we will check into this,” said Hemant Parab, deputy chief fire officer, Mumbai fire department.

Hospital superintendent Dr Vidya Mane said, “We’re working closely with the fire department, which has helped us with several parameters to follow. We will implement them gradually.”

Activists have criticised the hospital’s negligence. “It is essential to maintain all fire safety in a hospital. The hospital receives so many accidents patients, they can’t keep their exit route closed. If by chance, there is any fire outbreak, you don’t even get the time to find keys and open the door,” said health rights activist Dr Ravikant Singh.

The hospital is the city’s largest trauma care centre.