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4-min response, ‘ring strategy’ help avert major disaster at Jawahar Bhawan
FSO says firefighters stretched 2 delivery hose lines through staircase to douse the fire from inside the building while high-pressure water jets from water bowser directed at the affected floor from outside
LUCKNOW A swift response by the fire department helped avert a major disaster after a fire broke out on the fourth floor of Jawahar Bhawan on Monday morning. Firefighters reached the government complex within four minutes of receiving the distress call and launched a coordinated operation by surrounding the building like a ring from multiple directions to contain the blaze before it could spread.
The control room received the fire call at 9:53am, following which two fire tenders, a water bowser and a multi-disaster response vehicle (MDRV), were rushed from the Hazratganj fire station, said chief fire officer Ankush Mittal, who was among those who reached the spot immediately.
By the time the first responders arrived, flames had engulfed the conference hall of the food and civil supplies department on the fourth floor, with thick smoke and flames billowing out of the windows.
“Firefighters stretched two delivery hose lines through the staircase to douse the fire from inside the building while high-pressure water jets from the water bowser’s monitor were directed at the affected floor from outside. As reinforcements from other fire stations arrived, the building was surrounded from all sides to prevent the flames from spreading to other sections of the government complex,” said fire station officer (Hazratganj) RK Rawat.
With the upper floors filled with dense smoke, four firefighters entered deep inside the building and battled the blaze for nearly 45 minutes before bringing it under control.
“In all, 18 firefighting vehicles were deployed during the operation, including additional fire tenders, high-pressure firefighting units and specialised rescue vehicles,” said the FSO.
District magistrate Vishak G, ADG (fire services) Padmaja Chauhan and other senior police and administrative officials monitored the firefighting operation from the spot.
TIMELINE
Time of fire: 9:40am (approx.)
Information reached fire office: 9:53am
Fire tenders reached at: 9:57am
Fire controlled: In less than an hour
Total fire tenders: 18
ANATOMY OF 4th FLOOR BUILDING
Basement: Canteen
Ground: Treasury office
1st, 2nd and 3rd floors: Multiple offices including offices of judicial authority, malaria department and food and civil supplies dept are located here.
4th floor: Canteen and conference hall of food safety department
