Property worth Rs 44 cr lost last year

The Gurgaon fire brigade is largely dependent on other agencies to cope with emergency situations even as the incidents of fire have increased in the city during the last one year.

The Gurgaon fire brigade is largely dependent on other agencies to cope with emergency situations even as the incidents of fire have increased in the city during the last one year.

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Last year, several fire incidents in Gurgaon claimed 10 lives and injured 82. Property worth around Rs 44 crore was also damaged.

According to a data released by the fire department, the fire brigade received around 857 calls of fire incidents and around 68 rescue calls in 2010.

While a year ago, the figures were around 500 and 40 respectively. In 2009, around 9 people were killed and 13 injured in various fire incidents which also damaged property worth around R11 crore.

“With such huge number of fire incidents in the city, the fire department desperately needs good equipments and trained manpower to tackle with fire incidents. However, slums, scrap and godowns are creating more trouble for us,” said Hanuman Sihag, chief fire officer, Gurgaon.

Meanwhile, the city fire department has asked the Delhi Fire Service to release fire tenders fitted with snorkels to help them deal with blazes in high-rise buildings.

Sihag said: “We have requested for snorkel from Delhi. Its height is around 90 meters. Also it can spray up 40 to 45 meters. With this capacity we can douse fire up to 24 to 25 floors. I hope we will get it by next year.”