20190527 Ernakulam market fire: Union workers, people join hands to douse blaze
India May 27 2019 “Complex bldg.”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Ernakulam market fire: Union workers, people join hands to douse blaze
Updated: 2019–05–28
KOCHI: As the fire ravaged the building on Monday morning, over 50 people in blue shirts joined the fire and rescue team to douse the blaze. It was the headload union workers in the market, who came forward along with some people in the vicinity to support the fire force teams that were struggling hard to lift the ladders, water pipes and other firefighting equipment.
Impressed by their will and participation, the fire and rescue department in Ernakulam will invite headload workers in the market for a one-day training session in firefighting.
“We will give training to headload workers at the market as they are the first respondents. It will ease our job. Headload workers in Mattancherry market will also be trained. One issue we had was onlookers crowding the area and it raises the risk. Old buildings fall part quickly during a mishap. Besides, onlookers do not have any security apparatus to protect them from smoke,” said regional fire officer KK Shiju.
There are around 3,000 headload workers in. Union workers said fires recur as there is no firefighting system. “we had four fires in Broadway and vegetable market in four years. When we reached the spot, it was difficult to approach the road due to thick smoke billowing out of the gutted shop. It is better, if we get some training as we can respond immediately,” said Suneer Hameed, a union worker.
Fearing that water shortage will hamper the firefighting, shopkeepers arranged water from a nearby temple pond.
Web Source: The Nation