the irrelevance of common sense...
this is a quick blog...just an observation from the tabloids of bby , The Midday ( yes the same page 3 midday mate paper)....read this and ull laugh like crazy...funny parts in bold
Fire dept lashes out at R Mall's staff
By: KP Babu April 23, 2005
While the Mulund fire department thanks God (I'd call a priest for that) for zero casualties during the April 15 fire at R Mall, it squarely blames the management of the mall for mismanaging the situation. This comes as a second blow for R Mall management that is already facing criticism from the fire department for flouting fire safety. Five fire engines, four tankers and 40 officials had to be pressed into action on April 15, when a fire broke out in the mall’s Big Bazaar outlet on the ground floor a little while before the mall was to close.Though the Big Bazaar management says the fire was caused by a short circuit, the fire brigade officials are still investigating the cause of the fire as well as the emergency steps taken by the mall’s staff after the fire broke out. “There was a serious lapse on the part of Big Bazaar employees. We have learnt that fire broke out around 9.30 pm, while we were informed at 9.55 pm,” (must have waited for their cutting chai to come) says Ramesh Kolkhumbe, senior fire officer who is investigating the case. Kolkhumbe says that Big Bazaar and the mall had closed the exit doors after the fire broke out (huh???...wats the use of the exit doors then?? ) “This not only trapped the customers inside, it also filled the mall with thick smoke,” says Kolkhumbe, accusing the mall staff of not leading the customers to safety. “The customers should be given credit for rushing to the exit in an orderly manner.
Thankfully, because the fire broke out in the evening, there weren’t many visitors. Otherwise, the situation would have been different,” adds Kolkhumbe.The investigating officer is now finding out why the fire extinguishers and sprinklers started working late on the night of the fire.( maybe they didnt get their cut) “We are finding out the facts. We are also calculating the total loss,” says Kolkhumbe. Once the investigation is complete, the fire department will send a report to T-ward for further action.
What T-ward has to say:
“I don’t know anything about the previous fire brigade report. We are waiting for the fresh report. But strict action will be taken against those violating the rules.”Suhas KarvandeWard officer, T-ward ‘We evacuated the customers promptly’ “We evacuated the customers promptly. We have regular fire drills. On the day of fire, the sprinklers worked in time and everybody was safe.” ( T-ward officials X Chief Investigating Officer =1)
Manish Anghe, Chief manager of R Mall Anghe defends his staff by saying that they managed the scene after the fire well. He, however, refused to comment on the eateries in the mall.
Restaurants say they have necessary permissions
There are around 10 eateries on the third floor of the mall. metro asked some of the eateries if they had a valid licence.
This is what they had to say
Maroosh : “I cannot comment. I will give your visiting card to my boss. He will call you,” says an employee. ( till then do u want anythin to eat??)
Pizza Hut“We have all the necessary permissions. We will show it to the fire officer,” says Mandar Gaurav, senior manger.
Cream Centre“We have applied for the license,” says Steven Sequeira, manager.
Puja Restaurant“We have applied for a license,” says a manager.
Mall is flouting safety norms
Having already prepared a report on the many fire hazards at R Mall six months ago, the fire department says it is not surprised that the fire broke out. ( they were waitin, they were waitin,,)
“The R Mall fire was waiting to happen. Our inspection six months ago had shown that the mall management had violated many fire safety violations,” says Ramesh Kolkhumbe, senior fire officer. Some of the objections the fire department had raised six months ago were blocked emergency exits and stairways. (objection me lord!) “Emergency exits in the mall as well as Big Bazaar are inadequate. This is especially true of Big Bazaar, where the emergency doors are locked. In some places, huge hoardings block the doors,” says Kolkhumbe, adding, “The stairways are used as a dump.” The fire department also says that most of the eateries on the top floor of the mall don’t have licences.
The department has raised serious objections to the presence of a food outlet inside a clothes store at Big Bazaar ( this one takes the cake!!!...gujju minds think.. double the $$$...how about a bhel while i check this fabric)“An eatery inside a cloth store is highly dangerous,” says Kolkhumbe.The fire brigade officials say they will suggest major alterations in the structure of the mall to ensure fire safety. “The owners have made several deviations from the approved plan while constructing the structure. The extra constructions have to go to make the place safer,” says Kolkhumbe.
Suggesting changes to R Adlabs, he says, “The theatres have no aisles and each of the screens have only one exit. With a row of 30 seats, we need an aisle and more exits.” "The door was locked from outside’ ( Brilliant!!)
Ram D (name changed) Resident of Tata Colony“I had just walked into the mall with my wife around 10 pm for the 10.30 show of Mumbai Express.We were walking towards Big Bazaar because we had time to kill. That’s when we heard the fire alarm, which, incidentally, the security was trying to muffle. “People left their carts and rushed to the door. But to my shock, the security had locked the door from the outside. It was only after people threatened to break the glass, that the door was unlocked.”
Satish Panchal, Resident of Mulund Colony“We had queued up at Big Bazaar’s cash counter when we noticed the smoke and the people rushing to the door. We also ran but the door was closed. It was opened after we started screaming.“Soon, the mall was filled with smoke because there is no ventilation. Not a single security personnel knew how to operate the fire fighting system.”
Chetan Karia, Resident of Dr RP Road“I had parked my car in the parking lot when I realised there was a fire. I rushed back to the car park but there was a jam of cars moving out. There was heavy traffic on LBS Road too. I could see the fire engines struggling to reach the mall.“I decided to walk. As I waited outside the mall, we saw the angry customers upset with the mall staff.
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Emergency services in India...worse than a Sardar joke....
but all that happened above,...nothin but the irrelevance of common sense....
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