Sources claim that only around 30 staffers attended firefighting training organised in February
MTNL employees have revealed that a lack of fire-fighting knowledge delayed firefighting efforts despite the presence of necessary equipment in the MTNL office premises on Monday.
A big fire broke out at the MTNL premises on Monday which spread quickly.
The fire brigade intervened timely and rescued all the employees. However, the incident exposed the chinks in the armour as far as training for firefighting is concerned.
Sources revealed that firefighting training was organized in the MTNL premises for around 500 people in the month of February.
However, the ignorant attitude at all levels meant that only around 30 people attended the training.
The half baked knowledge was evident when MTNL staff used papers, unused clothes and other combustible substances to douse the fire on Monday.
These efforts further inflated the fire rather than extinguishing it.
The building power department of MTNL complained that every year they impart training to their staff however staff shows scant interest in taking it.
“Very few participated in the fire safety program due to lack of interest. Every year we get such negative response from across the staff,” said RV Shakya, telecom technical assistant.
“At around 2:30 pm on Monday, smoke started billowing out from the AC on the second floor. When I rushed to check there was heavy smoke on the floor and breathing was extremely difficult. I informed the staff to vacate the building and tried starting water pumps meant for dousing the fire. However, amid smoke none of us could do that on our own,” informed Shakya.
There is a staff of six people who work in a 24-hour rotational shift.
There were 49 fire extinguishers on the floor but not a single one was used in the fire despite being in working condition.
Private or public societies and offices disinterest in firefighting training is a general phenomenon in the city, opine experts.
“Nobody attends fire safety training even in private societies. Even when we visit private societies only a few people attend training. People display an ignorant attitude and think that it is boring. Our motive is to educate people and teach them what to do and not to do during a fire,” informed Pratap Karguppikar. Former Chief Fire Officer.
At the time when the fire broke out, approximately 100 people were trapped in the nine-storey MTNL building in Bandra, all of whom were later rescued by fire brigade personnel in one of the biggest operations in recent times, officials said.
FIRE SAFETY TIPS
What to do if there's a fire around you
- Use a fire extinguisher
- Raise an alarm
- Call 101 to Fire brigade department to seek help
- Leave valuables behind and find the escape route
- If fire catches your cloth, drop on the ground and rollover
- Cover your nose with a napkin or any other cloth to avoid smoke
Necessary fire safety equipment in commercial building
- Fire extinguisher
- Sprinkler should be there which releases water automatically if it senses temperature above 78 degrees
- Wet risers which use to supply water in all area in office premises
- Alarm should be there in a commercial which indicates fire caught incident
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