PANAJI
Firefighters have been repeatedly called to blaze sites, entering smoke-filled rooms, climbing burning stairwells and unstable structures while at considerable risk to their own lives.
Yet, in Goa, the same Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) has remained powerless to seal establishments or penalize the concerned person for openly flouting mandatory fire safety norms. The debate has once again resurfaced after the devastating fire at Birch by Romeo Lane that killed 25 followed by Kala Academy on back-to-back days.
The fire at Kala Academy on Monday occurred at a time when preparations were underway for the upcoming Serendipity Arts Festival event as fire extinguishers were available.
DFES official said it was the responsibility of the organiser’s fire safety officer to ensure that all necessary precautions were in place. The department would issue recommendations to the Serendipity organisers once again.
DFES records further showed that the Birch nightclub did not possess a valid No Objection Certificate (NOC), pointing to non-compliance with basic fire safety norms.
“As per departmental records, the establishment had not obtained a valid NOC from the Fire Department, indicating non-compliance with mandatory fire safety regulations,” an official said.
However, despite being the primary agency responsible for fire prevention and for responding to such incidents, it has no statutory authority to impose penalties or seal premises found to be unsafe.
Senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Goan that while notices are routinely served on buildings/structures that violate fire safety rules, the exercise is often reduced to a formality. “We do not have the powers to take action over negligence in following fire safety guidelines. We issue notices and declare structures unsafe if norms are not implemented, but compliance is partial at best,” a senior fire officer said.
This regulatory void has long been known within government corridors as sources stated that structure owners usually comply with fire safety measures only during the construction phase, in order to obtain a temporary fire NOC. This document is an essential prerequisite for obtaining an occupancy certificate. Once that milestone is crossed, enforcement all but collapses.
As per the existing norms, fire safety clearances are required to be renewed annually. In practice, officials concede, this rarely happens. “The result is a growing stock of commercial buildings operating with expired or non-existent clearances, even as fire loads increase through altered interiors, decorative materials and electrical modifications,” the source added.
In the Birch incident, preliminary findings by the fire department pointed to multiple risk factors. Prima facie observations suggested possible short-circuiting in electrical systems located above the main stage, compounded by combustible internal furnishings. Officials cited a familiar list of hazards such as overloaded circuits, non-fire-rated cable insulation, ageing or substandard wiring, and the absence of residual current devices (RCDs) and modern circuit breakers.
“Electrical faults remain one of the primary ignition causes in commercial hospitality occupancies when systematic preventive maintenance is not enforced,” a department note stated.
The DFES also flagged a second, more alarming trigger that at the time of the incident, fireworks activity was being carried out on the external frontage of the premises. This significantly elevated the risk through the ejection of burning particles, flame projection near doors and openings, and the possibility of sparks entering the building and igniting decorative combustible materials.
