The fire tragedy at Kalasipalya, Bengaluru where five employees of a bar-cum-restaurant were killed sends a shrill alarm to the numerous small restaurants and bars which operate in the state, some of which don't have a second exit door neither fire extinguishers installed inside the premises. The incident once again brings to the fore the laxity with which fire-safety mechanisms in businesses is overlooked even in Goa.
The victims in the Bengaluru fire were all employees of the bar. They could not come out as the fire broke out near the entrance and they were trapped as there was no fire exit or a second door. While two of the victims died because of the burns, three died because of asphyxiation.
Margao was a witness to a similar incident just after Christmas when a major fire engulfed a family bar and restaurant at Gogol destroying property worth lakhs of rupees. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
There are thousands of business establishment in the State which have to go through the process of compulsorily installing fire-fighting equipment within the premises. But a major question would be how many actually end up installing one. There is a serious need to review implementation of fire safety norms in all commercial establishments since the mandatory clause has remained only as a matter of formality.
To the few that have followed the fire guidelines, there have been no periodic checks on the functionality of equipment installed, nor is there any maintenance. As a consequence, most of the times equipment is found to be malfunctioning or non-operational during emergencies. Also, there has been no training imparted on fire-fighting once the extinguishers are installed, with the staff not knowing how to operate the equipment in cases of emergencies. In such cases it would make no sense having the systems in place. In a recent fire at a Margao-based maternity hospital, major damage to the hospital was averted since staff on duty was well-trained to handle the extinguishers and hence went about the job, much before the fire services actually arrived at the scene.
Goa Fire & Emergency Service which has been handling the day-to-day challenges in line with its motto "We Serve to Save", should move beyond the line of duty and undertake periodic fire-fighting training drills for all business establishments in the State in tune with their vision of raising the level of prevention and preparedness and also inculcating safety consciousness among the public. The excise department should also lay emphasis on the fire-safety aspect before granting licenses and also at the time of renewal. Site inspections are needed to verify if systems are put in place. There are countless number of the bar and restaurants which have managed to sidestep installing fire extinguishers.
