According to the data available with the Mumbai Fire Brigade, it receives 4,500 to 5,000 fire calls on an average in a year.
Ashok Kanojiya, a resident of Sargam Society in Tilak Nagar, had a narrow escape after a fire broke out on the 11th floor of his building. He resides on the 15th floor of the ill-fated building. He had to break the lock of the terrace to escape the fire which killed 5 people on December 27.
However, everyone is not as luck as Kanojiya. 41 people have lost their lives due to fire incidents since April 1, 2018 to December 30, 2018. As many as 3,987 cases have been reported.
According to the data available with the Mumbai Fire Brigade, it receives 4,500 to 5,000 fire calls on an average in a year.
Of the 41 deaths, there were 27 males while 14 were female. However, the number of injured is higher than last year. "In just 9 months, 334 people have been injured in fire incidents which is much higher than last year's total 219 injured," said a senior official from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB).
The number of injuries due to such incidents have been on a rise. In 2016-17, of the total 5,021 fire cases reported, 115 people have been injured, which is much lower than in 2018 wherein 334 people were injured in 9 months. Major injuries were reported in ESIC Kamgar Hospital where 147 people were injured with six casualties.
According to MFB, from April 2018 to December 2018, 27 fire officials have also received injuries which is a higher number since last five years. Since 2012-13, a total of 144 fire official have been injured and seven have died. "Of the 4,927 fire incidents in 2017-18, only eight firemen had received injuries. However, this year, 27 fire officials have been injured in just nine months," the official said.
Following a fire in a Kamala Mill's restaurant in 2017, which had taken 13 lives, the MFB had carried out inspection of 4,436 hotels and restaurants this year, the MFB claimed. "We took action against 1,972 establishments and also dragged two establishments to court for non-compliance," said the official.
The standing committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sought a detailed report in the rising number of fire incidents. A report, submitted by the MFB, was rejected by the committee, which had then asked the civic body to mention what actions it had taken in case of non-compliance. The committee had asked to bring in modern equipment and check hydrants across the city. Currently, more than 9,000 hydrants across the city are non-functional.
GROWING NUMBER
- In 2016-27, 5,021 cases of fire were reported in which 115 were injured
- In 2018, 334 people, along with 27 firemen, were injured in 3,987 fire incidents reported
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