400 Hyderabad hospitals flout fire safety norms

HYDERABAD: The major fire in Kolkata’s AMRI hospital on Friday that killed 90 people has brought into sharp focus the fire safety measures in Hyderabad’s private hospitals. And sadly around 400 hospitals in the city are fire accidents waiting to happen. After an inspection by the fire prevention wing of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation of 556 hospitals (below 15 m in height and having a minimum capacity of 50 beds), only 149 hospitals possessed the No Objection Certificate from the fire department for installing fire safety equipment. GHMC officials found that most hospitals in the twin cities did not adhere to fire safety norms and blatantly violated building rules. About 91 corporate hospitals of more than 15 metres height were also found to have put up only temporary fire safety tenders. The fire safety measures have four parameters: means of access through approach road, open spaces, means of escape like external staircases and fire fighting equipment. The inspection teams found 100 per cent deficiencies in all four parameters in around 400 hospitals. What is a more disturbing fact is that during an earlier inspection, the fire prevention wing found the same deficiencies in most of the hospitals.The issue becomes important as 90 patients in Kolkata’s AMRI hospital were killed when a blaze started in basement of the main building on Friday. Last year, a major fire broke out at Park Hospital in Somajiguda that claimed two lives.“We have directed District Medical Health Officers of Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts to look into the issue seriously. Though they have issued notices to hospitals flouting norms, only a few have come forward to install fire safety equipment,”  GHMC officials said.