While major private and public hospitals in Mumbai have been found flouting fire safety norms,both the city jails have been found to be fully equipped to handle any fire emergency. In a fire safety audit conducted in city jails,including the Arthur Road and Byculla jails,the Mumbai Fire Brigade found that both are well equipped to handle a fire. Chief Fire Officer H N Muzawar said,The entry gate of the jails were found to be wide enough for the fire engines to enter. Also fire extinguishers,sand buckets and water buckets were found at appropriate places. In our audit we also found that the jails have more open spaces and less storage items,which makes them better-equipped and less prone to fire incidents. The fire report also states that there is enough room for maneuverability of vehicles and premises are in the reach of water pipes of the Fire Brigade. According to a senior fire official,There was nothing objectionable from the point of view of fire safety. Also,the kitchen area,which is highly prone to fire incidents,is isolated from the barracks that decreases the risk to some extent. While the larger Arthur Road Jail houses over 2,200 inmates including 26/11 accused Ajmal Kasab the smaller Byculla Jail has over 400 prisoners. In a similar fire audit on other jail premises,including the Dongri remand home,police lock-ups in Matunga,Mahim and Byculla,Kalyan Jail and Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai last month,fire officials found them to be well-equipped with fire safety measures in place. To prevent mishaps such as fires,jail authorities in major jails have also mandated separate smoking zones for inmates. Inspector General (Prisons) Surinder Kumar said,We have designated smoking zones outside barracks and have limited the smoking time for inmates to the time they are outside the barracks to avoid fire incidents. The jail authorities have also trained policemen posted inside jails in case of a fire. Spooked by a major fire in a Honduras prison,which killed over 350 prison inmates in February this year,jail authorities had asked the Mumbai Fire Brigade to check for the fire preparedness in jails in and around the city. Interestingly,an audit by the fire department in January this year had found that 67 hospitals in the city,including major private and civic hospitals,were flouting fire safety norms. The inspections had found reputable hospitals of the city not following adequate fire safety measures. While some were not maintaining basements for the purpose they were approved,some had turned them into storage facilities for inflammable materials. Some hospitals had blocked staircases,which are critical during fire rescue,said officials.
