Action against buildings violating fire safety norms soon

Hyderabad: State Government is ready to take stringent action against the building owners who violated the fire safety norms by amending the existing Fire Services Act 1999. Top officials of the state government said that in a drive conducted by Telangana Fire Department (TGFD) in Hyderabad recently, it was found that some of the buildings frequently visited by the public are violating emergency exit norms despite multiple advisories and formal notices. The Fire department has decided to take legal and administrative action against such building managements.

The officials said that the repeated violations of fire safety norms and tragic incidents are resulting from blocked emergency exits. The Telangana Fire department has already issued a strong public advisory to all building owners, facility managers, and the general public.

Emergency exits must remain unlocked and accessible at all times. Locking or obstructing these exits is a serious offense that endangers lives and violates fire safety regulations..

To address the safety issues, the Fire Services Act would be amended soon by including strict norms, ‘mandatory self-declaration of fire safety compliance, declaration of buildings as unsafe, sealing of non-compliant buildings and Imposition of fines and penalties.