Bhagalpur: A fire safety audit in Bhagalpur has found widespread violations in hospitals, nursing homes, hotels and restaurants, prompting authorities to issue warnings and direct establishments to rectify deficiencies or face action.The district fire department inspected 195 hospitals and nursing homes and 90 hotels and restaurants. The audit found that 15-20% of hospitals and nursing homes lacked adequate fire safety arrangements, while several were operating without a mandatory Fire No Objection Certificate (FNOC). Nearly 70% of hotels and restaurants were found either without an FNOC or with inadequate fire safety measures.District fire officer Sanjay Kumar said several establishments lacked basic facilities such as functional fire alarms, emergency exits and proper ventilation.“Besides issuing directives to the deficient hospitals and hotels to comply with fire safety norms, we have also undertaken a sensitisation drive about fire safety arrangements,” Kumar said.“We are also asking them to submit electrical load analysis certificates. Strict scrutiny of LPG cylinder storage and sanctioned connections at hotels is also being carried out,” he added.Kumar warned that establishments could be sealed if deficiencies were not rectified within the stipulated timeframe.
