Page 14 - Risk Management Bulletin January-June 2023

RMAI BULLETIN JANUARY - JUNE 2023

x. On 7th November, 1999, at least 45 people xvi. On 22nd February 2006, fre in a freworks plant
were killed (16 women and eight children were in Tamil Nadu killed 10 and seriously injured 19.
among the dead) and 16 seriously injured in The fre was caused by an explosion at a stack
Sonepat, Haryana, when a fre began afer sparks of 'rockets' being dried, against rules, under
from some high-tension wires over the market trees. Extremely hot climate and fricton had
fell over a frecracker shop and an adjoining triggered the explosion, the resultant fre spread
clothes store. Around 25 stores, some of them instantly to the shed where 'packed rockets' had
selling plastc wares, were completely guted; been stored and from there, it spread to other
xi. In November 2002, at least 17 people were sheds;
killed and 27 injured (fve in critcal conditons) xvii. On 10th April, 2006, a fre broke out at a trade
when two gas cylinders in a van carrying fair in Meerut, Utar Pradesh killing more than
freworks exploded, bringing down several 57 persons and injuring thousands;
nearby houses at Athur, near Salem. Those dead xviii. On 29th October, 2009, a fre broke out at a
included seven men, fve women and fve
Jaipur oil depot in which 12 persons died and
children. 15 houses on either side of the street 150 persons were injured. The fre could not be
came down in the explosion, trapping and killing controlled and died on its own; and
the people inside them. Crackers, stored in one
xix. On 9th November, 2011, fre broke out at AMRI
of the buildings, were being loaded into the van,
Hospital, Kolkata in which 90 patents could not
which was already carrying two gas cylinders.
The van was guted in the fre; be evacuated and died of suffocaton.

xii. On 4th November, 2004, a blast occurred in
In independent India, the SFAC has been deliberatng
Srikakulum, Andhra Pradesh as explosives
extensively and regularly making various recommen-
stored in an unauthorized manner by a cracker datons to the government for improvement of fre
manufacturer in China Bazar area caught fre.
services. The SFAC had recommended re-organizaton
The incident killed 13 and seriously injured 13
of fre services in India way back in 1956 and also
others. Several other nearby houses had been recommended a uniform fre service legislaton in all
badly damaged. This was an illegal factory and states. The SFAC had also prepared a Model Fire
they had no license for manufacturing
Service Bill and the same was circulated to all the state
frecrackers;
governments by the MHA, GoI, Leter No. 28/03/56-ER-
xiii. On 16th July 2004, a fre broke out at a school II, dated 17/10/1958. Some states have stll not enacted
at Kumbakonam resultng in the death of 93 any Fire Act of their own. For convenience of those
primary school children; states who have not enacted their Fire Act, a copy of
Model Fire Service Bill is being enclosed in Annexure
xiv. On 1st November, 2005, several hundreds of
tsunami survivors at Nagapatnam, Tamil Nadu – 1 with a directon to enact one within a year or two.
were homeless again afer fre guted their
temporary shelters. The blaze was started by Shortcomings in the present system
freworks being used to celebrate Diwali. The 90 During their regular deliberatons, the SFAC have
families a?ected were rehoused in a local hall; notced the following shortcomings in the fre services
xv. On 15th September, 2005, fre engulfed three in India.
illegal frecracker factories in Khusropur village
(22 miles east of the state capital Patna, eastern Lack of:
state of Bihar) which accounted for at least 35 a. Unifed fre services in some of the states;
deaths and injured at least 50 people. The
factories were being run from three houses in b. Proper organisational structure, training and
career progression of its personnel;
the village. The fre was sparked by an electrical
short circuit and quickly spread to the fammable c. Adequate modern equipment and their scaling,
material stored in the factories; authorization & standardizaton;

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