Commonwealth venues to have in-built fire safety arrangements

The Delhi fire service is focusing on in-built arrangements as fire safety measures during the nearly 12-day-long Commonwealth Games to be held from October 3 to 14 this year.

Plans have been approved by the department and recommendations given to authorities involved in construction of buildings and stadia, director of Delhi Fire Services RC Sharma said.

"The buildings — stadia and residential accommodation — which are coming up for the Commonwealth Games has to be provided with in-built fire safety arrangements. Plans have been approved by the Delhi Fire Service and recommendations have been given to DDA, PWD, MCD and all the authorities concerned," Sharma told PTI here.

The fire department, which has also come out with its disaster management plan for the Games, says these arrangements will be done by the authorities themselves but "checked and inspected" by the Fire Service.

"However, we have not issued any deadline for that," Sharma said.

The in-built arrangements include availability of hydrant, internal fire fighting system, wet-riser, fire extinguisher, exit signs besides standby generators. "Through in-built systems, it will be easier and fast to go to any incident site. Also using a vehicle for dousing fire inside the stadia will take much time," the director said.

The services of small cars and jeeps will also be used as a "sort of arrangement" to keep mobile equipment — walkie talkie, cutting tools, rescue and backpacks.

"Bikers will be deployed in crowded places. Control rooms will be set up at every stadia. During the period, we hope to get 10 cars and jeeps," he said.

According to the disaster management plan, contact numbers of officials, who can be contacted in case of fire, will be provided to every personnel for "better coordination".