20130922 India Fire guts Kilpauk apartment complex
India Sep 22 2013 “Apartment houses” “Building” “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Fire guts Kilpauk apartment complex
Updated: 2013-09-23-05:23
CHENNAI: A major fire broke out in a highrise apartment complex on Ormes Road, Kilpauk, on Sunday afternoon, gutting flats on three floors. The fire started around 2pm at Prince Apartments, probably sparked by malfunctioning airconditioning equipment, police and fire and rescue services officers said.
The blaze spread to the sixth and seventh floors of the 10-storey complex, but no one was trapped or injured as firemen evacuated all the residents from the building.
The fire started in the apartment of Ashok Kumar Lahotia on the fifth floor. The family had gone out for lunch when the blaze broke out.
A security guard at the complex noticed smoke billowing out of Lahotia’s apartment and alerted residents. The residents called emergency services and eight fire tenders and five Metrowater lorries soon arrived at the apartment complex. Firemen fought the blaze for two hours before putting it out.
The blaze led to chaos as people hurried to save valuables, even as quick-thinking residents removed LPG cylinders from the flat where the fire broke out and from their own apartments. Firemen battling the blaze struggled to get a skylift in place, with trees in the apartment complex blocking the way.
“I was watching TV, when I heard people shout, ‘Fire!’,” said Payal, a resident. “When I rushed out of my flat the corridors were filled with smoke.”
“Everything in our house has been burnt to cinders,” said Manoj, her neighbour.
Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services deputy director Vijay Sekar said there was no fire fighting equipment in the apartment complex.
“Builders and residents’ associations should ensure that they have firefighting equipment in place for the safety of residents,” he said.
Two staircases are mandatory for any high-rise. The apartment complex had two staircases but one was locked when the fire broke out.
Fire and rescue services officers said the apartment did not have downcomers, an internal hydrant that is connected to a roof tank, used by firemen while fighting a blaze in a multi-storey building.
Builders have to obtain no-objection and compliance certificates from the CMDA and fire department before the building can be occupied but many residential buildings escape inspections by fire officials.
Websource:The Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Fire-guts-Kilpauk-apartment-complex/articleshow/22912054.cms
Date:2013-09-23
Country:India