Jharkhand HC Directs State-Wide Fire Safety Audit Of All Buildings

The high court on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the Dhanbad highrise fire, in which 14 people were charred to death and 18 others were injured.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Deepak Roshan issued notices to the Director-General of Fire Safety and Urban Development Department Secretary to file their response in the PIL instituted for check on fire accidents in the state.

The bench also issued notices to the civic bodies in all districts and ordered deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to ensure a fire safety audit of buildings in their respective areas.

The PIL was registered at the instance of the high court on February 1 on the basis of media reports published over the past couple of days, highlighting the deaths of several people across the state in different incidents of fire.

Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan informed the court that two committees have been formed to investigate the recent incidents of fire.

He said the January 31 fire in the Ashirwad Tower Apartment in Dhanbad revealed that the fire safety norms in the building were flouted.

The division bench observed in its order that it will not remain a mute spectator to the risk of human lives.

The authorities will have to ensure that all norms are fulfilled to avoid any untoward incidents in the future, it said.

The officials will ensure that all protocols for fire safety are carried out according to the prescribed mandatory rules, the bench observed.

The matter will be heard again on February 17.

The court was also informed about another incident of fire at a hospital in Dhanbad, which killed five people, while there were other incidents reported from Hazaribag, Ranchi and Chaibasa over the past few days.