Fire Service and Civil De fence Department lacks the logistic support necessary for effectively fighting a blaze or to meet the exigencies when a serious accident occurs.

The department is dread fully short of modern equip ment and manpower.

A fleet of 50 ambulances on which 116 fire stations largely depend are too Inadequate to combat high incidence of fire Moreover, most of these vehicles are almost spent since they have outlived their life long ago Some of them are not in working condition.

There are only 116 fire sta lions Including nine river fire stations In the country. There are three districts without any fire station. Fire stations are yet to be set up tn almost all upazllas

The fire stations have only 21 special vehicles to fight fire In multistorey buildings They have only 106 water lorries. 127 push cars. 246 pumps and other instruments.

Most of the firefighting instruments Including fire floats which are used In river fire stations arc outdated and now unfit for use. according to a Fire Brigade source.

Among the Fire Brigade strength or 4.514 men only 2.194 are firemen who come to the rescue of people from fire hazards The ratio of fire fighters for 11 .crore people Is too small. The number of firefighters should be increased three times Its present strength according to a Fire Brigade source.

Firemen get 24 hours' rest after 48 hours' work. It is al leged that it Is the violation of international labour law.

According to a fire brigade source, three ambulances are a must for each divisional and district headquarters.

From the statistics available for the last three years it ap pears that 4.535 fire incidents take place annually. A fire bri-Kdc source said most of these e incidents are the result of negligence on the part of people and such incidents can be averted if a little bit of civic sense is cultivated.

Fire accidents are generally attributed to open cooker, cigarette bull. Chemical reaction. cracker blasts and electric short-circuits etc.

Il is vital that multi-storey buildings contain emergency exits or emergency lifts which can operate automatically when the electric supply falls.

Another official said Fire

Brigade cannot properly utilize the modern equipment II has. for they are to operate them ir

crowded places like markri with narrow passage, multi storey buildings and industrial spots where It is time consum Ing and very difficult to rescue life and property.

Many countries Including India have laws under which fire service approval Is re quired before erecting any building, construction of mar ket place or setting up Irvins

tries But such prior approval IS not required in Bangladesh under the Building Act of 1899 India amended this act In 1986

Specialists suggest that Inexpensive safety measures such as underground waler reserve. fire breaks and temper ature indicators should be there in every building tn order Io avoki repetition of

such a tragic Incident a* the big fire at the Saraka garment factory tn December 1*90 which claimed a tall of 25 hvc*

Specialists also suggest that every Industry needs fire fighting equipment Including smoke detectors, hydrant sprinklers and high velocity spray* Io deal with fire bar arris