New Delhi: AIIMS academic block denied fire safety certificate

New Delhi: The academic block of AIIMS has not been issued a Fire Safety Certificate or an NOC by the fire department, keeping in view the inflammable material lying at the entrance and exit doors of the academic block. It has been observed, that if a major fire was to break out in the academic block it would become difficult to evacuate doctors, medical students and employees from it.

The Department of Pathology, AIIMS reported a fire incident a few days ago.

Viewing the matter seriously, the AIIMS Administration has started removing scrap, old equipment and other inflammable material from the gallery of the academic department, so that in case of any eventuality, people can be evacuated safely. Four incidents of fire have been reported in the past four months.

"The reason for the fire incident at the Pathology Department could be due to the negligence of the technician as there are a few inflammable things," said AIIMS Deputy Director (Administration) V. Shrinivasan.

The academic block gallery and lab, AIIMS is being cleared of all inflammable items. Approximately, 135 trolleys loaded with material have been disposed of and further work of removing waste material is in process. The state of affairs on the first floor of the academic block, where the pathology wing is located has waste material still lying, with the gallery and gate of the OPD block and Pathology department still closed. The AIIMS administration, professes to clear the entry and exit of the academic block soon.

Eight of the nine buildings of AIIMS have been granted an NOC, barring the academic block, which has yet to be issued a fire safety certificate.

Following a major fire incident at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, a workshop is to be conducted on January 12. Officials and doctors of 24 major hospitals from across the country will attend the workshop and prepare fire safety directives.

The Deputy Director (Administration), told The Tribune, "Safety from fire is mandatory as thousands of patients are admitted to hospitals. Keeping this in view, a workshop is going to be conducted. On the bases of discussion, guidelines will be prepared, which will be implemented in all the hospitals countrywide. "