Page 46 - Insurance Times December 2023

Failure aspects observed: Provision of Minimum killed and 100 were injured in the fire with 70-80 with severe
requirements fire-fighting appurtenances, design of building burns. The venue of the function was just a four-wall
with escape routes, site set back and approach road to the structure with only one exit through a small gate. The fire
building being blocked. occurred due to a short circuit in the electric supply
connection line and having spread very quickly through the
Problems created by: Structural alteration required highly combustible structural materials.
according to the commercial requirements for this building's
occupants, lack of provision of escape routes in side of the J. Surat Fire Incident
building. The minimum requirements of fire-fighting On 24 May 2019, a fire occurred at a coaching center
appurtenances were not available in the building at the (commercial complex) in Sarthana area of Surat in the
appropriate locations. Gujarat state of India Twenty-two students died and others
were injured in an academic coaching center Owner of the
I. Mandi Dabwali Fire Tragedy - Haryana Institute, Builder and two officials from Gujarat Fire Safety
It's perhaps the worst in the entire history of fire disasters Department (Fire service Gujarat) were arrested.
in India. A fire broke out in a pandal (temporary structure
built of bamboo like our puja pandals) in Mandi Dabwali on The way this fire incident started -Fire Started with Short
December 24, 1995, and the whole burning structure Circuit at the Ground Floor. Then Fire Spread to other floors
collapsed over the people attending the annual D.A.V. and went up to the Coaching Centre which was at the
School function. 300 people, mostly school children, were Terrace.

List of Lapses and observations/learning from this Surat fire Incident:
Lapses in Surat fire incident Observations& learning
The spread of Fire from Ground Floor Lack of Passive Fire Protection. Passive Fire Protection will stop the spread
to Terrace. of fire and smoke.
Flammable materials are hugely used like Interior coatings, internal walls, etc. are spreading the fire very fast.
flushes and tires as the seat. Fire Load Must be calculated and checked on regular intervals.
Fire Tender was 45 minutes away and At least 2 hours of fire-fighting capacity must be available with every
Hydraulic ladder reached in 45 minutes commercial and industrial building.
Ceiling Height was just 5 feet. National Building Code 2016 must be followed for fire safety compliance.
16 students died due to asphyxiation Smoke is more dangerous than fire. Smoke Extraction System, Windows
(from smoke) and Maintaining Air Changes per Hour is critical
Makeshift Dome was the build on the Structure, Wall, Floor, and Roof shall be as per National Building Code-
terrace where the actual tragedy happened 2016 which guides on fire rating of each.
Short Circuit happened on Air Conditioning Continuous running loads will have a fire hazard. Thermography and
Circuit electrical audits will help the building occupants to improve every time.
3 persons died as they jumped off the Inadequate exit, staircase could have been the reason. Based on each
terrace of the building. floor occupant load, travel distance, number of exits must be provided
being calculated in a scientific manner rather than having one or two
staircases.
No Safety Equipment in the building The requirement of Safety Equipment and Training & Awareness on how
to use might have been saved many lives.
Heavy traffic and people taking videos at If not able to extend support, others should not hamper the rescue team.
the incident site
Two floors were built without permission Adherence to statutory norms will not only safe the occupants from their
legal battles, but it is also required for Personnel and Property Safety.
In the end, it has business/commercial benefits.
There was no audit conducted for the All high rise buildings and industrial complexes must conduct the third-
building. party audit every two years.

42 December 2023 The Insurance Times