Firefighters fear narrow lanes, not flames in ‘Pete’ areas of Bengaluru

Bengaluru: A day after the fire hazard at the multi-storey building in Kumbarpet in Chickpet, embers flared up after an internal wall collapsed Thursday morning, forcing the deployment of two 16,000-litre water tankers.A senior fire and emergency services officer said nearly 99% of buildings around Avenue Road, Kumbarpet, Chickpet and adjoining localities do not have a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the department. "The govt recently mandated NOC only for high-rise buildings above 21 metres by altering the previous 15-metre norm. Hundreds of buildings above 15 metres still pose risks in the vicinity, and all these buildings shall be made NOC mandatory," he said.
He added, "We never fear fighting fire; that is our duty and we are trained for it. But when we receive calls from these areas, we panic because of narrow lanes where fire tenders cannot move, illegally constructed floors, sub-standard electrical materials in commercial buildings, illegal godowns in basements, and iron grills on windows along the narrow staircases that block access." Another officer highlighted the challenges in enforcement. "When we urge building owners, they approach leaders or ministers, who then direct us not to disturb them. This is how the system works," he lamented.Amid the operation, two personnel sustained minor burn injuries to their hands. They were shifted to Victoria Hospital for treatment. Dr Yogishwarappa CN, professor and head of the department of plastic surgery and burns at the hospital, said, "We treated them on an OPD basis with minor dressing and tablets. They were advised to rest (for recovery) until they feel well enough to work again."Former Chickpet corporator AL Shivakumar said trade norms are also being flouted. "The exemption from NOC is largely for MSMEs in industrial areas, but all these pete areas are not industrial areas. While exemptions are given for activities like cloth manufacturing, here it is purely trade and piled-up stocks. Everyone must have a trade licence. If they have a GST number, they must also have a trade licence," he said.