Owners told to ensure fire safety

Hina Rohtaki

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 25

All the high-rise buildings, including malls, in the city have been directed to install proper fire-fighting systems at the earliest.

Municipal Commissioner SP Arora has ordered inspection of all such buildings. “The exercise aims at making the owners of these buildings aware of the use of keeping fire-fighting equipment. If despite guidance, they did not make their units fire-fighting ready, notices would be served on them,” said Arora.

The high-rise buildings include all colleges, schools, societies, commercial buildings showrooms and hospitals.

The order categorically mentioned that “it should not be used as a tool to harass but an exercise should be done to facilitate them (building owners).”

In the recent fire incidents occurred in factories, the Fire Department had found that most of them either had expired fire extinguishers or there was no fire fighting system at all. Notices were served to their owners only after tragedies had taken place.

The Municipal Commissioner said regular checking of buildings would also be done to ensure fire safety was not compromised at any stage. On the long-pending demand for hydraulic ladders, Arora assured the Fire Department that it would be met soon.