Fire at flat raises safety concerns over older high-rises in Kochi, renews call for aerial ladder platform
The fire that broke out at an unoccupied apartment in the naval residential quarters at Kacheripady here has turned the spotlight on the fire safety
The fire that broke out at an unoccupied apartment in the naval residential quarters at Kacheripady here has turned the spotlight on the fire safety preparedness of several older high-rise buildings in the city and renewed calls for advanced rescue machinery, including an aerial ladder platform. Firefighters involved in the Kacheripady rescue operation pointed out that the absence of internal firefighting systems made their task significantly more difficult and fear the situation could be similar in many such structures. The responders had to carry water hoses up to the 10th floor as the building lacked fire hydrants and landing valves on each floor.
The blaze, fire and rescue sources said, was intensified by garbage accumulated inside the unused apartment. They also flagged poor accessibility as a persistent challenge in many older high-rise buildings, where narrow approach roads and the absence of adequate open spaces often hamper the movement of fire engines and rescue equipment. The issues are largely confined to buildings constructed before the Kerala Municipality Building Rules (KMBR), 1984, which made firefighting measures mandatory for high-rise structures. Aerial ladder platform The Kacheripady incident has also renewed calls for the procurement of an aerial ladder platform, a specialised firefighting vehicle that enables rescue and firefighting operations at greater heights.
The Kerala Fire and Rescue Services currently does not have one, top sources admitted. An aerial ladder platform, also known as a hydraulic platform, allows firefighters to rescue people trapped on upper floors, access rooftops and deploy water or foam monitors directly from elevated positions during firefighting operations. “The equipment is essential for the force, especially in a city like Kochi where both residential and commercial high-rises are increasing,” a Fire and Rescue Services officer who had participated in several operations in the city said. Sources said the process to procure the high-value equipment is under way.
Senior Fire and Rescue Services officers, meanwhile, said high-rise fire incidents remain relatively uncommon in the State compared to metropolitan cities such as Mumbai and Chennai, which house a large number of older multi-storey buildings. They said annual inspections are conducted to review firefighting arrangements in high-rise buildings, and notices are issued to owners and managements that fail to comply with safety norms.
The BriefWire