Cuttack: Fire Services personnel Wednesday carried out inspections at several coaching centres in Bolangir, Bhawanipatna, Angul, Jharsuguda, Bhadrak and Jeypore in a bid to check fire safety measures and create fire safety awareness among staffers and students at the institutes.
Following inspections at 10 coaching centres each in Bolangir, Bhawanipatna and Jharsuguda, eight in Angul, five in Bhadrak and six in Jeypore, the Fire Services personnel claimed to have established that many of the institutes are yet to ensure adequate fire safety measures on their premises.
“Most of the coaching centres have only one staircase which is inadequate for exit. Electrical panel boards have been installed below staircases which increase the risk to fire,” an official said.
The official said most of the corridors of coaching centres have been blocked by stacking unused articles. Good housekeeping, which plays a vital role in fire safety, was not found. Moreover many coaching centres do not have adequate exit signage to guide the occupants to places of safety in case of any emergency.
The defaulting centres will be issued notice to fulfil the shortcomings within a specific time, the official said.
Sources said during the course of inspection, the Fire Services personnel sensitised the staff and students for adopting fire safety measures and gave them useful tips about safe escape during fire emergency. Demonstration in the use of fire equipment was also organised for the benefit of the students.
Notably, similar inspections were carried out in the coaching centres of Twin-City of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack May 27 and at Rourkela, Balasore, SambaIpur and Berhampur June 1.