Page 8 - Fire Safety

Basic fire policy doesn't cover self-ignition

The National Commission, on reviewing the Fire and Standard Perils Policy, found that spontaneous combustion is excluded unless additional coverage for it is specially purchased

Efforts underway to control massive fire at Delhi's Ghazipur landfill site

Several residents living close to the landfill complained about breathing difficulties and irritation in the eyes and throat

Minor fire in North Block, no injures, no file damaged: MHA spokesperson

A minor fire broke out at North Block, which houses the ministries of Home Affairs and Personnel, in the high-security Raisina Hills here on Tuesday but no one was injured and no file was damaged, a Home Ministry spokesperson said. The cause of the fire appears to be a short circuit in the electrical equipment on the second floor of the building and it was contained within 20 minutes by the joint efforts of CISF, CPWD and Delhi Fire Services. "A minor fire broke out in Room No. 209, North Block at around 9.15 AM on April 16, 2024 where the International Cooperation Division of the DoP&T (Department of Personnel and Training) is located. "No injuries have been reported. No physical records/files have been damaged. A few furniture items and some equipment got partially damaged," the spokesperson said. According to a senior Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officer, a total of seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot and flames were doused by 9.35 am. The DFS officer said a Xerox machine, .

Maui fire dept to release after-action report on deadly Hawaii wildfires

The Maui Fire Department is expected to release a report Tuesday detailing how the agency responded to a series of wildfires that burned on the island during a windstorm last August including one that killed 101 people in the historic town of Lahaina and became the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. The release comes one day before the Hawaii Attorney General is expected to release the first phase of a separate comprehensive investigation about the events before, during and after the Aug. 8 fires. The reports could help officials understand exactly what happened when the wind-whipped fire overtook the historic Maui town of Lahaina, destroying roughly 3,000 properties and causing more than $5.5 billion in estimated damage, according to state officials. The Western Fire Chiefs Association produced the after-action report for the Maui Fire Department. After-action reports are frequently used by military organizations, emergency response agencies, government entities and .

Major fire breaks out in Kolkata, several shanties gutted, none injured

A major fire broke out in Dum Dum area of Kolkata on Saturday morning, gutting several shanties in a slum, officials said. However, no casualties have been reported so far in the incident that took place in Mela Bagan in Dum Dum area. At least eight fire tenders have been pressed into service to douse the blaze, as thick smoke and flames were seen billowing from the shanties, which were predominantly made of plastic and other flammable materials, they said. "Firefighting operations are underway as fire tenders are facing difficulties in accessing the location due to contested alleys but are trying our best to use alternate methods to douse the blaze," a fire department official said. The cause of the blaze, however, is yet to be ascertained. State fire minister Sujit Bose said that robots will be deployed wherever fire tenders are unable to access the spot. CPI (M)'s Dum Dum Lok Sabha seat Sujan Chakraborty reached the spot and appealed to everyone to help the affected people.

21 workers under medical observation after fire at SAIL's Bokaro plant

Around 15 workers of SAIL's Bokaro Steel Plant have been kept under medical observation after a fire broke out on Saturday morning, an official said. This is a precautionary measure and all of them are out of danger, he said. There was no report of any fatality, the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) official said. The incident took place when maintenance work was underway in the mixed gas pipeline of the Bokaro plant, he said. There has been no leakage of any gas from the pipeline, and the situation is completely under control, the official said. The fire has been extinguished and senior officials are camping at the spot, he added.

Fire breaks out at NTPC's Kanhia power plant, fire doused, no injuries

A fire broke out at NTPC's Kaniha plant in Odisha's Angul district on Saturday, fire service officials said. The fire broke out at 8.10 am in the coal transporting conveyor belt of the plant in the Talcher area of the district, they said. There was no report of any injury in the fire, they said. The NTPC in a statement said that the fire call was quickly responded to by the CISF fire wing and plant disaster team. The fire has been doused fully and there was no report of any injury, it said. "No person has received any injury apart from minor first aid to one CISF personnel during fire fighting," the NTPC statement said, adding that "As a precautionary measure, Unit-3 of 500 MW was taken under shutdown for a brief time to contain the fire. However, the same will be brought to on bar shortly. All other units are normal." The cause of the fire and damage is being assessed, an NTPC official said, adding that necessary repair work will be started soon. The NTPC appreciated timely he

14 injured in MP's Mahakal Temple fire; CM announces aid of Rs 1 lakh each

The blaze took place in the 'garbha griha' (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple at 5:50am, Ujjain Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh said

Mahakal temple fire: All possible help being given to injured, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Mahakal Temple fire incident was very painful and wished those injured a speedy recovery.A fire broke out in the 'garbha griha' (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple at 5:50am, injuring 14 priests and 'sevaks' (assistants), officials said. In message on social media platform X, the PM said, "The accident that happened in Mahakal temple of Ujjain is very painful. I wish for the speedy recovery of all the devotees injured in the accident. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in every possible help to the victims." Talking to reporters in Indore, where eight of the 14 victims are admitted, MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the PM spoke to him over phone and inquired about the health of those injured. President Droupadi Murmu also spoke to him about the incident over phone, Yadav added.

Fire catches chemical factory located near Jaipur; 6 dead, 1 injured

Six people died and one other was injured in a fire that broke out at a chemical factory in Jaipur district's Bassi area on Saturday evening, officials said. Jaipur District Collector Prakash Rajpurohit said the fire broke late this evening after an explosion in the boiler of the factory. One of the two injured, who was to Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh government hospital with 95 per cent burn injuries, died in the hospital, officials said. According to hospital sources, the other injured has suffered 65 per cent burn injuries and undergoing treatment at the hospital. Jaipur Commissioner of Police Biju George Joseph said that five people died on the spot. The fire has been doused. "The injured have been brought to SMS Hospital here. Doctors are trying their best to provide them better treatment," DC Rajpurohit said, adding that the matter will be probed. Soon after the incident, locals gathered at the spot, demanding action against the factory owner who is absconding. Rajasthan Chief

Fire breaks out in Wadala building in Mumbai; no report of injuries

A fire broke out in a 38-storey building in Wadala in Mumbai at around 11pm on Friday, though there are no reports of anyone getting injured or being trapped, an official said. He said eight fire engines have sent to douse the blaze on the 26th and 27th floors of Dosti Ambrosia building near Wadala bus depot in Antop Hill. "As per preliminary information, no one has been hurt in the incident. Personnel from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, BEST, police, 108 ambulance service and civic staff are at the site for the dousing operation," the official informed.

350 evacuated as fire breaks out at building in Thane, none injured

A total of 350 residents were evacuated after a fire broke out in a five-storey building in Maharashtra's Thane district in the early hours of Friday, an official said. No one was injured in the fire that was confined to the electric meter room of Aman Heights located in the Shivaji Nagar area of Mumbra, he said. The fire started around 1.30 am and destroyed 109 electric meters, said Yasin Tadvi, chief of the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation. It was brought under control at 2.30 am. The fire in the electrical components resulted in thick black smoke enveloping the building, prompting the residents to rush out in panic. A total of 350 residents were evacuated from the building, said Tadvi. The residents returned to their flats after about two hours, he said. The power supply to the building has been snapped as a precautionary measure and is likely to be restored during the day, he said, adding that the exact cause of the fire is yet to be established.

Fire breaks out at commercial unit in Mumbai, no casualties reported

A fire broke out at a commercial unit in the western suburb of Sakinaka here on Saturday morning, and there was no casualty in the incident, a fire official said. The blaze occurred around 9.40 am in a single-storey structure near a bus stop on the Andheri-Kurla road, the official said. Three fire engines, jumbo tankers and an ambulance were dispatched to deal with the Level 1 category fire, he said. The fire-fighting operation is underway, the official said. Paper, cloth, electrical wiring and other materials were stored on the premises, he said. The cause for the fire is yet to be ascertained, it was stated.

Police arrest 3 in connection with deadly fire at Dhaka shopping mall

Bangladesh police have arrested three persons, including two owners of a restaurant, in connection with the massive fire that broke out at a shopping mall in the capital Dhaka that killed at least 46 people. The fire broke out around 9:50 pm on Thursday at the restaurant named Kacchi Bhai on the first floor of the building, Green Cozy Cottage, and quickly spread to the upper floors that had more restaurants and a garment shop, according to fire service officials. Two owners of an eatery called Chumuk and the manager of Kacchi Bhai restaurant were arrested on Friday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner Kh Mahid Uddin said. He said, The fire started from the food shop on the ground floor of the building. The police will file a case over negligence in connection with the deaths in the fire incident. Besides, anyone from the victim's family can file a case if they want, said the police official. At least 46 people were killed, and over 20 others sustained severe injuries

Fire at seven-storey building in Bangladesh's capital kills at least 44

A fire at a seven-storey building in the central part of the Bangladesh capital overnight has killed at least 43 people and left 22 others injured, Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen said on Friday. The condition of those injured is "critical", he told reporters at a briefing here at 2 am. The fire broke out around 9:50 pm on Thursday at a restaurant on the building's first floor and quickly spread to the upper floors that had more restaurants and a garment shop, according to fire service officials. They said 75 people, including 42 in unconscious state, were taken out of the seven-storey building. Thirteen fire service units were mobilised, the officials said. "Thirty-three people died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and 10 at (the nearby) Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery," Sen said. The minister, a burn wound specialist, said 22 people are being treated at both the health facilities and their condition is "critical". "The respiratory sys

In case of fire, break glass ceiling: Pune to get first lady firefighter

Breaking the gender barrier, 26-year-old Meghana Sakpal is set to become the first woman to join Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) fire brigade department. Firefighting seems to run in her family as her grandfather was a fireman and her father, Mahendra Sakpal, currently serves as a fire personnel. "I grew up listening to the tales of my grandfather's and father's heroic feats during firefighting in the city. They inspired me. I am very proud that I am the first woman to join the fire department of the Pune corporation," Meghana told PTI on Thursday. Until now, only Mumbai had women firefighters in Maharashtra. A commerce graduate, Meghana began to prepare for her dream job in 2019. After clearing online examinations and physical tests, she went to Mumbai for training, which was briefly interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But she completed the training in November 2022. She had initially applied for a job with the Mumbai fire department, but could not clear the physical test. .

Delhi's Alipur fire probe: Two, including factory owner's son, arrested

Days after 11 people died in a fire at a paint factory here, two persons, including the factory owner's son, were arrested in connection with the incident on Saturday, police said. The accused have been identified as Akhil Jain (37), the son of factory owner Ashok Jain, who died in the fire, and Rajrani, who owns the land on which the factory was situated, they said. Besides Ashok Jain, 10 workers died in the fire that broke out in the factory in outer Delhi's Alipur area on the evening of February 15. The fire was preceded by a blast and soon it spread to nearby buildings, including a drug rehabilitation centre and eight shops. According to the FIR registered in the matter, a huge quantity of inflammable material was found inside the factory. Earlier, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had said that the building where the fire broke out was being used illegally for the purpose of mixing chemical paint. The FIR was registered on a complaint by Sub-Inspector Anil Kumar of Al

15 commercial units, houses damaged due to fire in Mumbai's Govandi

Around 15 commercial units and some houses were damaged in a fire that broke out in a chawl in Mumbai's Govandi area early on Saturday, in which nobody was reported injured, an official said. The fire brigade received a call at 3.55 am, which alerted it about the blaze, he said. "Around 15 galas (commercial units) on the ground floor and some houses on the first floor were damaged in the fire that broke out in a chawl at Bainganwadi in Adarsh Nagar area of Govandi," the fire brigade official said. The fire engulfed some electrical wiring and installations, plastic sheets, household items, wooden planks and furniture, among other things, he said, adding that attempts to douse the flames were underway. Some water tankers along with an ambulance were rushed to the spot. Nobody was found injured and the exact cause of the fire is yet to be known, the official added.

Death toll in Delhi's Alipur market fire rises to 11, four injured

The death toll in an explosion and subsequent fire in a paint factory in outer Delhi's Alipur area has climbed to 11 with four more bodies recovered from the premises, police said on Friday. Four people were injured in the fire that broke out on Thursday evening and are undergoing treatment at a hospital, they said. The charred bodies of the 11 victims were recovered from the factory, which also houses chemical godowns, located in Alipur's Dayalpur market, a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said. The fire was preceded by a blast and soon it spread to nearby buildings, including a drug rehabilitation centre and eight shops. The DFS official said a call about the fire was received around 5:30 pm on Thursday and 22 fire tenders were pressed into service. The blaze was brought under control by 9 pm, he said, adding that 11 charred bodies were recovered from the factory premises. In a post on X, DFS chief Atul Garg said, "Despite best efforts by DFS, 11 labours died in paint factory

Highlights of the day: Budget session to be extended by a day till Feb 10

Updates: From CM Dhami tabling the UCC Bill in the Uttarakhand assembly to the devastating wildfires in Chile, catch all the latest updates from around the world here