Mumbai: 40 hospitals lacking fire safety equipments

Mumbai, Jan 20: While inspecting the hospitals, the fire department discovered that over 40 hospitals were lacking basic fire safety equipments.

Around 75% hospitals are private, four government and six BMC hospitals have been found violating the fire safety norms.

The department has issued notices to the hospitals. While inspecting, six major deficiencies have been found in the hospitals. In most of the hospitals, the LPG cylinders for canteen and laboratory purposes were found.

According to the fire safety norms, there should be enough free space. But during the inspection, the department found that the corridors were blocked with stretchers and other equipments. Even the essential fire safety items including fire extinguisher and other fire fighting installations were missing from the hospitals. In most of the high-rise hospitals, the fire safety officers are not there to monitor and maintain the fire safety equipment.

"We have inspected 67 hospitals. Almost all the hospitals had common problems like lack of proper passageway, no fire safety equipment. The hospitals have been asked to comply with all the deficiencies highlighted by the fire department.

"There is no particular time period, but they would be expected to comply within the next two months," said H N Muzawar, chief fire officer told the presspersons.

"We haven't received any such notice as yet. We do have all the fire safety equipment in place." said Pramod Lele, CEO, Hinduja Hospital.

OneIndia News