Among the top seven major cities, Pune has recorded the highest quarter-on-quarter growth of 13 percent in house sales. With 14,100 residential units sold in Q3 2022, Pune accounted for 16 percent of the total housing sales among the top seven cities. With such a huge increase, the question is, can we say that all high-rise buildings in Pune are fire evacuation ready? In Diwali itself, 17 fire accidents were reported by the Pune Fire Brigade Department. The numbers are huge, but no precautionary measures have been taken by the builders or developers to save people’s lives and their homes despite the fact the preventive measures can prevent loss of lives and assets during a fire breakout.
Says Dr. Vikram Mehta, Managing Director, SPARTAN Fire Evacuation Lift (also fondly known as the Fire Evacuation Man of Maharashtra), “One of the basic requirements for any fire brigade team to evacuate people from high-rise buildings on time during a fire emergency is a fire evacuation lift that can reach the upper floors quickly and safely. It can save both lives and assets. The advanced technologies used in the Fire Evacuation Lift can evacuate a person in 60 seconds. IoT in Fire Evacuation Lift will send mass messaging to the building’s fire safety security team, lift operators, and nearby Fire brigade office, and will help firefighters to reach the fire-affected floors safely in minimum time. Residents of high-rise buildings will feel safe if builders and developers install fire evacuation lifts according to the Maharashtra Energy Department circular and government guidelines.”
Fire Safety and Evacuation Expert Dr. Deepak Monga, says, “The 20h of July 2022 was a life-changing day for us as the advisory came from the Maharashtra Energy Department on installing Fire Evacuation Lifts in buildings of above 70 m height. This visionary step was taken under the Shinde Government. The Fire Evacuation Lift is considered to be a new PPE ‘Public Protection Equipment’ that reaches fire affected floors on time to evacuate the people. The fire evacuation lift is designed as per the fire lift standards. The cabin is made of non-combustible material, and all side-enclosed panels are filled with ceramic wool for a 2-hour fire rating. Fire Evacuation Lift is compulsory in new high-rise buildings to give Fire-Free years ahead.”
