Fire brigade to get 3 vehicles to dewater flooded areas

The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) will soon be able to help in situations of waterlogged streets or railway tracks and in case of life-threatening situations as it gets ready to induct a new ‘water transportation system vehicle’ in its fleet.

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The specialised vehicle can suck out between 4,000 litres and 20,000 litres of water, depending on which of its two pumps is used. The submersible pumps can be lowered in a waterlogged area to draw out water through a five-inch-wide hose pipe.

The pump will also be used in firefighting operations, especially in those near the sea, as it can also draw up to 1,500 litres of water per minute by directly floating on the water surface. With the help of its hose pipe, this water can be transported at high pressure to any nearby firefighting operation.

During the 2019 monsoon, the Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express was stranded on waterlogged tracks about 60km outside Mumbai in July. Over 900 people were stranded on the train and were rescued over 17 hours later with the help of military helicopters and National Disaster Response Force’s rescue boats.

Chief fire officer, P Rahangdale said, “This vehicle will be used for dewatering purposes in life-threatening situations [like the Mahalaxmi Exp incident].”

A senior official from the MFB said, “The vehicle has a specialised submersible platform, driven by hydraulic power. It will be fitted with a suitable crane to help dismount and remove the submersible platform with a floating pump in the water.”

Three such vehicles will be inducted in the brigade’s fleet, one each, for eastern and western suburbs, and one for the island city, by August. They will be stationed at Mankhurd, Borivli, and Byculla. Each machine will be purchased for ₹7 crore, which will include supply, a warranty of two years, and maintenance for five years.