Fire safety audit exposes lapses in Odisha capital shopping malls

Bhubaneswar:  Amid concerns over fire risks in commercial high-rises in Odisha capital, the Fire Services Department officials conducted auditing shopping malls here today to assess their safety status.

Addressing a news conference, State Civil Defence Director, Bijay Kumar Sharma, said they reviewed the fire safety measures at 10 major shopping malls in Bhubaneswar.

“As many as ten teams of the Fire Services Department conducted inspection at different shopping to check whether the buildings have enough exit routes and exit signage boards, alternative evacuation plans in case of power failure, and efficacy of fire safety equipment and housekeeping department, among others and necessary approvals from Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA),” Sharma added.

Fire safety checked in 10 leading malls during peak business hours. Notices being issued to make good deficiencies in a time frame

— Bijay Kumar Sharma (@BijayKumarShar7) January 6, 2018

Sources said that the Fire Services Department will keep its auditing the fire risks at commercial buildings in the city and stringent action would be taken against the violators.

Among the buildings where fire safety audit was undertaken are The World Shopping Mall in Kharvel Nagar, Central Mall in Saheed Nagar,  Forum Mart, Big Bazar in Kharvel Nagar, The World Shopping Mall in Nayapalli, Vishal Mega Mart in Nayapalli, Pantaloon Shopping Complex in Saheed Nagar,Pal Heights in Jaydev Vihar and BMC Bhawani Mall in Saheed Nagar.

Worth mentioning, the department had conducted similar exercises at various hotels, clubs ahead of the New Year celebrations in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri in December last year.