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Photos: Jamia Nagar’s DIY fire-safety plan a community initiative

Residents of several buildings in the south Delhi’s Jamia Nagar have decided to resort to a slew of emergency solutions after a string of fires in neighbourhoods across the locality that all began in the stil parking areas, gutting vehicles and blocking stairwells as the flames leapt upwards. Several people in these incidents died of asphyxiation or jumped to their deaths. The initiatives being employed include a network of ropes outside buildings that will allow residents to climb down balconies, sacks of sand in the parking areas and automatically deploying fire extinguishing balls to counter the delays faced by fire tenders due to narrow alleyways.

Updated on: Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM IST

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Afraid that their lives could be hanging by a thread were another fire to break out in their locality, residents of south Delhi’s Jamia Nagar have decided to resort to emergency solutions —including a network of ropes that will allow them to climb down balconies, and sacks of sand in the stilt parking areas, in a novel “community policing” initiative. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

Afraid that their lives could be hanging by a thread were another fire to break out in their locality, residents of south Delhi’s Jamia Nagar have decided to resort to emergency solutions —including a network of ropes that will allow them to climb down balconies, and sacks of sand in the stilt parking areas, in a novel “community policing” initiative. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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These contingency methods were prompted by a fire that killed six people in a multi-storey residential building in the area’s Zakir Nagar neighbourhood earlier this month. There were two other major fires in the area in the last six months. All three broke out in the stilt parking of the building and enveloped the structure after setting cars ablaze. (Burhan Kinu / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

These contingency methods were prompted by a fire that killed six people in a multi-storey residential building in the area’s Zakir Nagar neighbourhood earlier this month. There were two other major fires in the area in the last six months. All three broke out in the stilt parking of the building and enveloped the structure after setting cars ablaze. (Burhan Kinu / HT Photo)

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The six victims either jumped off their balconies to save themselves or couldn’t muster the courage and died of asphyxiation. The problem in all three cases was that the narrow bylanes of the localities impeded the entry of fire tenders and severely hampered rescue efforts. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

The six victims either jumped off their balconies to save themselves or couldn’t muster the courage and died of asphyxiation. The problem in all three cases was that the narrow bylanes of the localities impeded the entry of fire tenders and severely hampered rescue efforts. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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Now, nearly 60 buildings — home to over 400 families — in different neighbourhoods of Jamia Nagar have got thick jute ropes tied to their balconies so that they can climb down to safety in case of fire. The Jamia Nagar police station receives an average of two fire calls from these residential buildings every day. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

Now, nearly 60 buildings — home to over 400 families — in different neighbourhoods of Jamia Nagar have got thick jute ropes tied to their balconies so that they can climb down to safety in case of fire. The Jamia Nagar police station receives an average of two fire calls from these residential buildings every day. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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After the deaths in Zakir Nagar on August 6, the local Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) met with the Jamia Nagar station house officer (SHO) Upender Singh to come up with the idea of ropes. Over the next two weeks, residents in neighbourhoods such as Jamia Nagar, Batla House, Zakir Nagar and Joga Bai Extension got the ropes installed in their balconies. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

After the deaths in Zakir Nagar on August 6, the local Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) met with the Jamia Nagar station house officer (SHO) Upender Singh to come up with the idea of ropes. Over the next two weeks, residents in neighbourhoods such as Jamia Nagar, Batla House, Zakir Nagar and Joga Bai Extension got the ropes installed in their balconies. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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In several buildings, residents have ordered fire extinguisher balls through the internet. These can be put up near fire hazards —they burst if the heat rises, and release a chemical that douses the flames. A decision on equipping every building with a cost-effective safety harness is also being contemplated since the elderly, those not able-bodied or women and children may find it difficult to climb down in an emergency. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

In several buildings, residents have ordered fire extinguisher balls through the internet. These can be put up near fire hazards —they burst if the heat rises, and release a chemical that douses the flames. A decision on equipping every building with a cost-effective safety harness is also being contemplated since the elderly, those not able-bodied or women and children may find it difficult to climb down in an emergency. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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Chinmoy Biswal, DCP (south-east), said that “faulty designs” of multi-storey buildings necessitated this emergency solution as part of community policing. “In most of these buildings, the electric metres are installed next to the staircase, which opens into the parking on the ground floor. When a fire starts in the boards, vehicles parked near are it quickly gutted and the residents trapped on the upper floors. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

Chinmoy Biswal, DCP (south-east), said that “faulty designs” of multi-storey buildings necessitated this emergency solution as part of community policing. “In most of these buildings, the electric metres are installed next to the staircase, which opens into the parking on the ground floor. When a fire starts in the boards, vehicles parked near are it quickly gutted and the residents trapped on the upper floors. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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Vipin Kental, director of Delhi Fire Services (DFS), said that apart from the threat of people letting go of ropes, there was also the concerns of the ropes burning if exposed to heat during a blaze. “This may not be a very safe solution, but an emergency is an emergency and can help save lives,” said Kental. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Aug 30, 2019 12:57 PM

Vipin Kental, director of Delhi Fire Services (DFS), said that apart from the threat of people letting go of ropes, there was also the concerns of the ropes burning if exposed to heat during a blaze. “This may not be a very safe solution, but an emergency is an emergency and can help save lives,” said Kental. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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