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Delhi Police asks clubs to review fire safety after Goa horror ahead of festive season
Delhi Police informed that event venues must ensure that their fire extinguishers are functional after 25 killed in Goa fire incident
The Delhi Police said on Sunday that patrolling will be intensified across major party zones as the national capital braces for Christmas and New Year celebrations during the last week of December. Several venues such as clubs, bars, restaurants and others have been instructed to review fire safety, reported news agency PTI. This comes after a deadly blaze in a Goa nightclub killed at least 25 people on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
The incident took place in North Goa, and several people, including staff of the nightclub and tourists, lost their lives. The incident has prompted fresh scrutiny of how entertainment venues across the country are prepared for fire incidents, the PTI report said.
Follow for live updates on Goa nightclub fire
Throwing light on the slew of measures that establishments in the national capital need to take to ensure fire safety, the Delhi Police said that they must have functional fire extinguishers, unobstructed exits, and electrical loads should be monitored, according to the report. The police stressed that on nights such venues experience heavy crowds, strict adherence to emergency protocols is needed.
Police also said that during the festive period, checks with district authorities and fire officials will be strengthened in order to ensure compliance, particularly at venues with high footfall.
The report cited an official as mentioning that ahead of the upcoming festive season, a robust security plan is already in place with measures including additional PCRs, motorcycle riders and foot patrolling in the city.
Also read: Horrific video captures extent of Goa nightclub fire that claimed 23 lives
“Additional force has been deployed outside nightclubs, and we will maintain strict vigilance to ensure that all regulations are followed,” the officer was quoted as saying.
Goa nightclub fire
The fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane Nightclub in Goa just past midnight on Saturday, or the early hours of Sunday and spread quickly through the establishment, which was made of highly combustible material.
Most of the people who lost their lives were working in the basement, leaving them little time to escape. An inquiry has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the fire.
What club owners in Delhi said
Meanwhile, club owners in Delhi highlighted the need for strict adherence to regulations. "Nothing is more important than our people who come to our clubs. We must be careful and follow all the norms laid down so that they have a good and safe evening," Joy Singh, founder of Raasta and Yeti clubs in the capital, told PTI.
Manpreet Singh, treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, noted that crowd density at venues hosting people should always be monitored and that fire-safety norms must be non-negotiable.
“In restaurants, the seating arrangement controls the number of patrons, but in clubs and bars, people often stand. If too many people gather in one place, it can lead to a stampede-like situation during an evacuation or make escape extremely difficult. There should be no obstructions near the doors, and exits must always be kept clear,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
