RTI reply – fire brigade with ladders capable of reaching 10-15 m
22 Jul, 2012Reply provided by the Fire Service Department of Puducherry to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that the available ladders mounted on fire tenders can reach up to a height of 10 to 15 metres only.
Until a few years ago, the Town and Country Planning of Puducherry gave permission for constructing buildings up to a height of 19 metres only, which has now been enhanced to 30 metres. This implies that in case of a fire, the ladders mounted on fire tenders can carry the fire fighters to a height of 10 to 15 m only and would be ineffective in the present scenario.
Several buildings that have come up in many parts of the country and those under construction are much taller. The infrastructure status of the fire fighting department in the country remains woefully inadequate and very few cities have a skylift or turntable ladders that they can rescue people trapped inside and douse fire without having to enter the premises through steps or elevator. Should one wait for the disaster to happen?