The Hindu : Front Page : Protective fire suits could have saved them from the agony

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Sunday, Oct 14, 2007
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Protective fire suits could have saved them from the agony

Rasheed Kappan

Never in Bangalore’s history had so many firemen sustained burns

INSULATED: A file picture of a demonstration by a fire fighter in full protective gear.

BANGALORE: The 17 firemen who sustained burns in a fire in the city on Friday night had financial guarantee from the Fire Force and Emergency Services Department: compensation from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5 lakh.

Yet, the department does not have money to buy protective fireproof gear, which could have saved them from lifelong scars.

All but one of the 18 injured were firemen, the other being a traffic police constable. The police have booked a case of negligence against Prakash, proprietor of Vinayaka Lubricants on the South Cross Road at Nagasandra Circle near Basavanagudi, where the fire occurred, and his brother Mahesh.

In pain and shock

A day after the accident, the injured firemen lay writhing in pain and shock at the Mahabodhi Mallige Hospital. The doctors are not prepared to certify their condition as out of danger. It will take another two days for the skin to peel off and the extent of burns would be clear only then, said a doctor. Four of the injured have 45 to 60 per cent burns, serious enough to qualify as “very critical”.

One look at the injured and it is clear a full body suit would have saved them from the agony. Confronted with the question of safety for the personnel, T. Suneel Kumar, Director, Karnataka Fire and Emergency Services, cited lack of funds. “There are excellent fire suits available in the international market. But they are expensive; each may cost Rs. 2 lakh. We don’t have that kind of money,” he told The Hindu.

The firemen had doused the flames in the paint shop, a dingy outlet, sporting only a helmet that barely covered their head and gumboots. It was their skills that helped douse the flames. But a can of thinner exploded, exposing them to the fire.

Mr. Kumar admitted that the department had learnt that Friday night’s disaster presented a unique situation. Apparently, it was for the first time that so many of its personnel sustained burns.

“We will upgrade the personnel’s protective gear through new equipment, and take extra precautions to check what is stored in such oil shops,” he said. But he had to first get the funds from the Government.

Inconsolable

For the relatives, who gathered in big numbers at the hospital, Saturday was a day of shock and grief. Many of the families were informed about the accident only on Saturday morning.

Karnataka and Emergency Services officials and the doctors had a tough time consoling them, assuring them their dear ones would recover soon.

They were told the department would pay the firemen ex-gratia amounts, grant special disability leave and injury-based compensation.

His arms heavily bandaged, fireman S.R. Abbai lay there on the hospital’s second floor Intensive Care Unit.

His mother, wife and 13-year-old son had visited him in the morning.

The others slept, their bodies wrapped in reams of cotton.

“Burns victims can develop infection after three to four days.

“Their condition can vary from day to day. Fluid management is a critical component of their care because they tend to lose a lot of fluid and electrolytes,” said hospital nephrologist M.M. Satish Kumar.

A sick man

Outside, Gangamma wept inconsolably. Her husband Gangadhar, who was one of the four critically burnt, had left home on Saturday at 11 a.m. as a sick man.

“He had fever last week. We prepared special food for him and were eagerly waiting for his return,” said Gangamma.

Her two sons stood around, unsure of their father’s fate.

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