Noida: Fire department holds awareness drive at Atta Market

Fire officers said that they checked some of the 750 shops, and asked shop owners to keep fire extinguishers handy

Days after a massive fire broke out at a hotel in Sector 104, the Noida fire department conducted an awareness drive at Atta Market in Sector 27 on Friday, said fire officers, adding that there are around 750 shops that are vulnerable to fire due to lack of safety measures.

The Atta Market Association says it has written multiple times to the Noida authority and fire department to install fire hydrants in the market. (HT Photo)

The Atta Market Association says it has written multiple times to the Noida authority and fire department to install fire hydrants in the market.

Fire officers later said they will urge the authority about the problems on priority.

“A team of firefighters conducted an awareness drive with shop owners in Atta Market. We heard their issues and informed them about preventive measures to be taken to prevent a fire,” Pradeep Kumar Chaubey, chief fire officer, Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

“As the majority of fires are triggered by to electrical short-circuits, we asked them to repair such panels, and we will coordinate with the electricity department,” the officer added.

CB Jha, president, Atta Market Association, said they cannot do anything if a fire incidents occurs in Atta Market. “There are no entry or exit points for fire tenders and fire fighters here. The market is getting congested day-by-day,” he said, adding that the authorities should look into the conditions in the market on a priority.

Chaubey said they checked some of the 750 shops, and asked shop owners to keep fire extinguishers handy.

“The lack of fire hydrants was raised during the drive, and we will write to the authority to install them on priority,” he said.

On Saturday, a 27-year-old woman died of asphyxiation after a massive fire broke out on the fourth floor of a newly inaugurated hotel in Hazipur in Sector 104.