Yoginder Koul
A tragedy happened to Fire and Emergency Department persons while controlling a fire incident in local area of GolePully, TalabTillo, Jammu on 12th Feb this year. The place where this incident took place was a functional Timber Saw Mill and selling firewood, sawdust etc. The area is densely populated having shops and other business establishment’saround with residential buildings touching each others end to end.
The Timber Saw Mill where the incident took place had two storeys on it which collapsed and crumbled during fire in the early morning hours of 12th Feb. as no resistance could be offered by its standing pillars. The collapsed structure crumbled over the saw mill trapping with it firemen who had gone to control it leaving three brave firemen under debris killed inharness and many others persons sustained serious injuries . This is somewhat a rare incident in Jammu city with few earlier precedents , converting entire business into debris within no time, luckily inmates reportedly had come out unharmed. Investigation into the cause must be on to ascertain the cause.
This is a major catastrophe which can recur if the authorities do not wake up from the deep slumber for inspecting periodically to see such business establishments which house highly hazardous godowns containing incendiary material in densely populated areas are feasible places to carry their business. The establishment can be Petrol pump, kerosene depot, CAPD Stores, Timber Depots, dumped solid waste material (Kabad) by scrap dealers, condemned vehicle, electric transformer station, PGhostel, Hotels, Dhabbas ,Live hanging wires, wide open drains etc. Serious accidents are prone to recur, leading loss of precious lives and assets accumulated through hard earned toil. This can turn a buzzing business ventures and entire localities into smoke with all hopes dashed in no time for future sustenance.
There are proper procedures for housing such material to run such business outlets in cities and towns. The inspection teams of various designated agencies with powers and responsibility, need to conduct periodic checkings whether safety measures are adopted and are well placed for safety of general public,stocks and inmates. There are numerous eateries coming up in every nook and corner of the city which are highly vulnerable and can be the next catastrophe, if proper safety measures are not followed by owners who run it. The enforcement agencies have to gear up and all violators are booked to follow safety measures discouragingtheir lax attitudes. Some establishments are functioning away from main road heads, deep down in lanes andby lanes in view of fast expanding business activity. The relief and rescue to be carried out is difficult for Emergency services because of the improper access to the spot of incident. People need to be sanitized about such incidents which can take place because of our insensitiveness ofChalta Hai attitude.
The probability of such incidents is maximum during night hours when business activity remains suspended till next morning. But, whether watch and ward measures are in place to take care of any such incident, erupting during night along with quantum of inflammable material in stock. It to be controlled in time, the need of the hour is our safety and saving our assets stocks, machinery etc. These incidents take place due to overconfidence, poor accountability of following prescribed safety standards, andmandatory absence of night watch and ward men. The mobile vendosr too are running a good business these days and its volume has increased manifold who need to follow similar guidelines for safety and public hygiene. A number of drinking pipes are leaking and are open which can get contaminated and has potential of creating mischief and tension among the citizens by antisocial elements. There are many strategic places viz. railway crossings, stranded oil tankers and unfenced live wires of electric transmission stations especially where school children and cattle movement is high and begs our immediate attention.
Each section of the society along with authorities need to create mass awareness regarding following standard of safety measures. The local residents can play a major role if they develop sensitivity and can act as responsible citizens near the sight of incidents before trained teams who have special knowledge and training to control it in the golden hour of incident. They can contain the fury of fire to minimum possible area and provide immediate relief and rescue with cooperation from the locals to allow them to work as per standing operating procedure, who otherwise have been observed creating hurdles,panic and commotion for the smooth operations.
The local authority and volunteers of civil defence need to reactivate them in conducting mock exercises to assess their readiness and shortcomings in dealing with any nature of fire incidents. This is going a long way to help our citizens by sanitizing them to work in tandem with authorities. These type ofIncidents erupt suddenly without forewarning to prepare ourselves to deal with it.An areawise vulnerable spots need to be mapped in densely populated areas of cities and towns with an action plan on ground with men material required. This can mitigate the sufferings of locals to a large extent in case of any incident. It needs anticipation and imagination keeping in view of fast growing economy activities all across Jammu and Kashmir. A seamless coordination can save a lot with stich in time, saves life and property, if fritted away in discussing only before next impending recurrence catches us up napping. This needs mass awareness by both authorities to act in coordination with locals who are concerned citizens to protect and preserve what we have, lest already smouldering embers may be still emitting smoke, injured recouping and few still starting fresh life before next tragedy arrives. This incident was an eye opener for all of us to learn from failures.
The author is IPS Officer (Retd)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
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