Fire Dept Well Equipped, But Gaps Remain

SHORT circuits, cylinder blasts, or other unexpected triggers -- fires don't come with disclaimers. But is our Fire and Emergency Services department truly capable of handling a situation like the Carlton Towers blaze? Officials say they are almost there, but gaps remain, which they are working to close.

- RISHITA KHANNA @Bengaluru

Uday Vijayan, managing trustee and president of Beyond Carlton, a people's initiative for fire safety, pointed out that since the Carlton Towers fire in February 2010 -- which claimed nine lives and injured 70 -- the fire department has made significant upgrades. "From setting up multiple fire stations to acquiring modern emergency equipment and skilled personnel, there has been clear progress. However, the real gap lies in how people unknowingly violate safety norms or take risks, making their surroundings vulnerable to fire incidents," he said.