Vijayawada: Stress on NBC guidelines to check fire accidents

Vijayawada: State Fire Services Director General Hasan Raja has stressed on the need to follow National Building Code (NBC) to check fire accidents in the high-rise buildings.

Hasan Raja participated in a review meeting conducted by the district collector Md Imtiaz at the camp office on the implementation of fire safety norms in the multi storied buildings, shopping malls, cinemas, hospitals and educational institutions.

The collector convened the meeting in view of the death of 10 Covid patients in Swarna Hotel (Covid care centre) in the second week of August in Vijayawada.

Addressing the officials, Hasan Raja said the managements of the buildings and the organizations must obtain NOC for the buildings which have more than 15 metres of height. He suggested for conducting mock drill on how to take precautions in case of fire accident and save the lives of the inmates and the property.

He said National Building Code contains guidelines, rules and regulations on fire safety measures to be followed.

District collector Md Imtiaz said clear instructions were given to the officials to check the fire accidents in the city. He suggested the fire department officials to conduct inspections frequently on the cinema halls, shopping malls, apartments, hospitals, educational institutions and other high rise buildings and collect penalty for violation of rules.

Municipal corporation commissioner Prasanna Venkatesh said the civic body is not issuing occupancy certificate if the buildings not obtain NOC from the fire services department. He suggested the fire safety department has to create awareness on appointing fire safety officials in the high rise buildings.

Fire Services director K Jayaram Naik, Joint Director K Madhavi Latha, District Fire Officer M Srinivasa Reddy and VMC regional fire officer T Uday Kumar and others participated in the meeting.