In Dhaka, fire safety in a shambles

Editorial

Building code must be enforced

The fire department's recent report paints a grim picture of fire safety in the capital's public and private establishments. A year-long inspection programme carried out by Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence (BFSCD) found that all but a few establishments—hospitals, shopping malls and educational institutions—it inspected were susceptible to disastrous fire incidents. The organisation inspected a total of 2,612 establishments, of which less than a hundred turned out to have satisfactory fire safety measures.

Such frightening statistics explain why the number of fire incidents more than tripled in the last two decades—from 5,376 in 1996 to 18,105 last year—in Dhaka.

In particular, hospitals are in a very vulnerable situation because, as the BFSCD pointed out, a fire in those hospitals could result in colossal damage since they store highly flammable chemicals and oxygen cylinders, which may cause fire to spread quickly. 

According to the fire department's data, unstubbed cigarette butts caused 2,453 fire incidents last year.

And, when it comes to educational institutions, only 18 among 989, which had been inspected, turned out to be safe. It is, therefore, really not an overstatement that “we are sitting on a ticking bomb,” to quote an expert who commented on our story. 

We cannot afford to downplay the findings of the fire department. The solution, in part, lies in enforcing the National Building Code in all public and private establishments because the code also explains what fire safety measures one should take. As for accessible roads, there aren't quick solutions as the entire city is highly congested. However, as the BFSCD recommended, the government may set up “satellite fire stations” in more areas of the city—especially in vulnerable areas like Mirpur, Tejgaon and Savar—so that firemen can reach accident areas quickly. 

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /oct 14, 2018