Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Oct 3: The mini secretariat in Ganderbal, which houses all district offices, including the Deputy Commissioner’s, is equipped with expired fire extinguishers that have not been replaced since 2018, leaving both staff and visitors vulnerable in a fire emergency.
An official privy to the details informed the Excelsior that ideally, fire extinguishers should be refilled and rechecked after their expiration period. However, despite the passing of nearly four years since the extinguishers expired, they still hang on the walls of the buildings, creating the false impression that the building is prepared to handle fire emergencies.
Almost all the carbon dioxide cylinders placed throughout the building have an expiration date of 2018. “It may seem like a minor issue with cylinders that have not been used over the years and have expired, but its significance becomes apparent when a fire incident occurs in the complex. A small fire, if not initially contained, can escalate into a major catastrophe,” said an employee working in the complex.
He added that the urgency of replacing these cylinders is heightened because thousands of people visit the office complex seeking redress for their issues. The absence of a proper firefighting mechanism can put the lives of visitors at risk. “People from the entire district come here as all the facilities are located under the same roof. The lives of those people are in danger,” he said highlighting the seriousness of the issue.
An official from the Fire and Emergency unit of Ganderbal told Excelsior that they have already urged the district administration to refill these cylinders. “The expiration date serves a purpose, and cylinders become ineffective in controlling fires if they are used beyond their expiration date. These cylinders are crucial as they can suppress fires at the source before they spread,” he said.
Tatheer Manzoor, Executive Engineer of the Roads and Buildings Department in Ganderbal, said that they would investigate the matter. “We have received a request from the district administration and will address the issue,” he said.
The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mushtaq Simnani, also confirmed that they have raised the matter with the concerned department.
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