Bengal hotel fires kill 17 in 48 hours: Data shows this was waiting to happen

According to the CAG report released in 2021, accidental fires, excluding those in forests or open spaces, accounted for 11,037 fire incidents across the country in 2019. These incidents led to 10,915 deaths and 441 injuries. During the same period, Bengal recorded 591 fire incidents, causing 528 deaths and injuries to 12 people. Bengal ranked ninth in the country in the number of incidents, and the audit exposed the gap between fire risks and state preparedness. At the time of release of the report, the Trinamool Congress was in power in Bengal.

As per the norms laid down by the Standing Fire Advisory Council under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bengal required 435 fire stations as of February 2020. But the state has only 138 operational fire stations – a shortfall of 68 per cent. A check of 71 fire stations across 10 divisions revealed acute shortages: Paschim Medinipur had an 89 per cent shortfall, followed by Murshidabad (83 per cent), Malda (82 per cent), Paschim Bardhaman (73 per cent), Howrah (64 per cent) and North 24 Parganas (25 per cent).

Also, as of April 2019, the firefighting force recorded shocking vacancy levels in Bengal – 4,045 of the sanctioned strength of 5,441 Fire Operators were vacant (74 per cent), 372 posts out of the sanctioned strength of 517 Station Sub-Officers are vacant (72 per cent), 504 posts against a strength of 1,352 Fire Engine Operator-cum-Drivers are vacant (37 per cent), and 99 posts against a provision for 270 Station Officers are vacant (37 per cent).

The CAG findings explain why response times during fires in both urban and rural areas remain high. Out of 42 fire stations sanctioned for construction by the Public Works Department, 11 remain incomplete well past their 15-month deadline. For the 31 stations completed, construction was delayed by more than a year in 16 cases.

The newly built fire stations faced delays of 10 to 19 months in becoming operational after inauguration. A glaring example: Domkal fire station in Murshidabad was inaugurated in February 2018, but commissioned only in March 2019. When a fire broke out 15 km away in March 2018, fire engines had to travel 62 km from Berhampore, violating the 10-sq-km/7-minute response norm.

The CAG audit also highlighted serious financial irregularities and non-functional safety apparatus that crippled ground operations.

A Rs 6.07 crore project awarded to M/s WEBFIL Ltd for a Modernized Control Room, Computer-Aided Dispatch, and Vehicle Tracking/Navigation System completely failed. Despite payments totalling Rs 5.46 crore, GPS devices remained inactive, and Airtel SIM service connections were non-functional, leaving fleet tracking useless. Of the 252 walkie-talkie sets issued in test-checked divisions, 62 were unaccounted for. As for the remaining 190 sets, 97 (51 per cent) were non-functional, forcing firefighters to communicate via personal mobile phones during rescue operations. Despite this, the state paid Rs 2.09 crore in airtime charges.

Twenty-five vehicle chassis procured in November 2015 for Water Bowsers remained unserviceable for over 3.5 years due to vendor failure, but the state fire department took no action.

Also, 36 Mini Water Tenders worth Rs 1.59 crore were distributed without vehicle registration. To make matters worse, in violation of Standing Fire Advisory Council guidelines that set 45 years as the upper age limit for firefighting and mandate physical tests twice a year, no such tests were conducted, and 742 out of 1,993 active personnel (37 per cent) in the audited divisions were over 45.

As families of the victims of the twin fire tragedies pick up the pieces, the numbers underline structural deficiencies highlighted, but not addressed.

Speaking on the tragedy, Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul said, “We are planning to form a team to check whether hotels have valid permits and fire licences. Ten hotels are being run on three floors of a building. This cannot be allowed. The police are still checking whether they (victims) are Bangladeshi or Indian. Definitely, action will be taken.”