Subheadline: Fire officials inspected kitchens, alarms, hydrants, extinguishers and emergency exits at four high-footfall commercial properties.
The Kolkata fire department conducted fire safety audits at South City Mall, Mani Square, Avani Riverside and Patakha Building on Free School Street on Wednesday, checking the preparedness of the commercial properties ahead of Durga Puja, when visitor footfall is expected to be high.
The inspections covered kitchens, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, fire alarms, hydrants and other firefighting installations, according to a senior fire department official. Teams also interacted with property management and checked whether key safety systems were operational.
“As part of our fire safety audit, our teams visited South City, Mani Square, Avani Riverside and Patakha Building on Park Street. We inspected the kitchens, checked whether the fire extinguishers and other fire-fighting installations were in working condition, and interacted with the management,” the official said.
At South City Mall, the inspection began in restaurants and continued through the food court, multiplex and stores. Fire officials also spoke to visitors in the food court to assess whether they could identify the emergency exits. The team spent nearly six hours at the mall during the inspection.
Officials suggested that the mall increase the size of its “Exit” signs so they would be more prominent to visitors. At some shops, teams also asked store operators to keep their premises free of clutter, according to the report.
Similar checks were carried out at Mani Square and Avani Riverside. The inspection at Patakha Building, a commercial property on Free School Street that houses a department store, was also part of the audit programme.
The fire department checked whether smoke detectors and fire alarms were working and whether hydrants had adequate water pressure. An official said the fire safety measures were found to be adequate at the facilities inspected on Wednesday.
The audits come before Durga Puja, a period associated with increased visitor movement at malls, restaurants, shops and other public-facing establishments. The department’s inspections focused on the condition and visibility of fire safety infrastructure, as well as the ability of visitors and shop operators to access or identify emergency routes.
The fire department did not disclose in the report whether any formal notices, penalties or closure directions had been issued. The inspections and suggested improvements were the latest stated steps in its assessment of fire preparedness at the facilities checked.
