Not enough fire stations in India: study

There are not enough fire stations in India, even in urban areas, to fight the fire accidents that are devouring our homes. Of the minimum 8,559 fire stations needed in the country, only 2,087 are in place, leaving a shortage of 65.10%.

The situation in urban areas is comparatively worse. A government-sponsored study showed that there is a need to set up 5,572 more fire stations.

Of this, 4,257 are to be set up in urban areas. The ministry of home affairs had engaged Risk Management Solutions Inc (RMSI) to assess the situation. It was the organisation’s report that pointed out the shortage in the
country.

The details were presented in the Lok Sabha recently. The study showed that Maharashtra, which has reported the highest number of fire accidents in the country, needs the highest number of fire stations. It also has the highest gap between the number of existing facilities and the required number.

The state has only 157 fire stations, while it needs at least 1,075. Of the 918 more fire stations needed, the study has found that 666 should be set up in urban areas.

The figures provided by the RMSI showed that almost none of the states have even half the number of required stations, which keeps the existing fire fighters on their toes.

Karnataka needs 377 stations, although only 182 are in place. Of this, 132 are needed in urban areas.

As per government figures, India witnessed 18,450 cases of fire accidents in 2015, causing 17,700 deaths and injuries to 1,193 people. In 2014, there were 20,377 incidents.

The cause-wise analysis of the accidents showed that 42.1% of the total deaths — 7,445 of 17,700 — were due to fire accidents in residential buildings during 2015.
DH News Service