May menace: City records 1902 fires in hot month in past 12 years

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Nagpur: As temperatures touch the blistering highs in the month of May in infamous summer of Nagpur, fire-fighters find themselves on tenterhooks. The May poses a tough challenge to city’s Fire Brigade as fire tragedies are at its peak due to extreme summer heat and other related causes.

The Second Capital City of Nagpur was ‘on fire’ as total 1902 incidents of inferno were recorded in past 12 years.

As per statistics revealed by NMC’s Fire and Emergency Department, the month of May from 2008 to 2018, registered total 1625 incidents of fire including of small, medium and major categories.

In May 2019, the fire incidents witnessed tremendous rise owing to mercury crossing 47 degree Celsius mark. Notably, May this year recorded highest fire outrage as compared to last 12 years. The Fire Department has registered total 277 incidents including 243 small, 17 medium and 17 major fires destroying property in crores.

May 2018 had registered highest fire incidents before 2019 i.e. 248. In May 2018 the fire-fighters were called to control total 164 small, 61 medium and 23 major fires.

There were 184 incidents of fire registered in 2017, whereas the figures took a drop in 2016 registering 124 incidents of fire in a single month of May.

The month of May in the year 2015, 2014 and 2013 saw total 140, 115 and 134 incidents of fire respectively.

Between May of year 2012 and 2008, where 2011 registered highest i.e. 154 cases of fire, year 2009 saw least with 111. Year 2008 had 136, 2010 had 131 and May of year 2012 registered 148 cases of fiery outrage.

While speaking to Nagpur Today, Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Rajendra Uchake threw light on various causes of fires, preventive and precautionary measures.

Causes:
“Short circuits, gas leakages, burning of garbage and above all the ‘unknown’ category which comprises fire due to rise in temperature, friction, human error etc which result in spontaneous fire are important factors when it comes to fire outrage,” said the CFO.

Precautions and preventive measures:
“Fire-NOC is one of the key aspects, when it comes to taking precaution and preventive measures. Statistics indicate that every year, thousands of people are killed across the world as a consequence of fire and fire related accidents,” said Uchake.

“Moreover property and goods worth crores are destroyed every year due to fire outbreak. The implications of fire in buildings can be serious and many companies may not even recover after a mishap. Therefore, it is important to procure Fire NOC to ensure safety for yourself and your business,” he stressed.

Besides the Fire-NOC, regular check-up and maintenance of electricity lines is must. Special attention toward kitchens or cooking related part of the building could avert fires. Proper handling and disposing of dry waste products also plays significant role in avoiding any sort of fire outrage.

– Shubham Nagdeve