Lahore / Peshawar / Karachi:
In the developed world, where all passengers are strictly linked by strict laws, trains are always fully equipped with the latest security accessories, in order to prevent the extent of damage in the event of a deadly emergency. However, with regard to Pakistan, where deviant passengers continue to illegally transport gas cylinders through their luggage, rail authorities have failed to modernize the paraphernalia and the staff employed to cope with an epidemic ‘fire.
The Pakistan firefighters department, which is responsible for warning and managing fire thrusts in trains, suffers from negligence and lack of improvement and maintenance. Composing this problem, ministry staff lack of training in modern fire safety protocols, which makes them poorly equipped to manage emergencies. Essentially, fire safety services in the country’s main stations are now unable to deal with a fire emergency, constituting an important threat to the life of passengers regularly traveling through the trains, which constitute an affordable affordable travel mode .
“The Pakistan railway fire fight system was better in the past, with several tenders and trained personal. However, the system has now deteriorated over time and must be improved. In addition , staff must also be trained to meet modern requirements, “said Saeed Jadoon, experts in fire and former Karachi Port Trust firefighters.
Jadoon’s observation was confirmed by an investigation by L’Express PK Press Club in Karachi, where only one fire station and a call for tenders were available at the canton station of the Karachi division, which includes 81 stations, S ‘Extending from Karachi to Tando Adam, Kotri, Dadu, Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas and Khokhrapar. In addition, there was a serious shortage of fire extinguishers in train cars while existing or non -functional those existing. Other essential equipment such as buckets, foam and more lacked while the staff was not properly trained to manage fire emergencies.
The operations of assistant superintendent Karachi, the Nasir Nazeer division, said that the service barracks of the service station was closed and moved to the canton station due to the dilapidated state of the building. “However, 800 fire extinguishers are installed in the Karachi division, where each car has basic fire -fighting equipment and that the staff is also formed,” said Nazeer.
On the other hand, managers of the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) firefighters reported that the Pakistani railways have rarely responded to fire incidents using its own resources, and that calls for tenders and staff KMC were generally those that turn off fires in railway facilities within Karachi’s limits.
The situation was quite similar to Lahore station, alongside other small and large stations of railways through Punjab, which too seriously lacked modern fire -fighting equipment and fire extinguishers, which were unused or expired And therefore unable to control a fire breaking caused by a gas leak or a short circuit.
“Although some fire extinguishers are placed in different trains and are available with the driver of the train, the guard, the air conditioner supervisor and the charge plant supervisor, they are only effective for small -scale fires and are revealed Useless in the event of larger eruptions. retirement at Lahore station.
Miles to the north in Peshawar, Zawar Khan, an officer at Peshawar Cantt Railway station unfortunately said to the Express PK Press Club Fire, “said Khan.
“Therefore, it would be much better if a rail hunter vehicle could be launched, which could reach the incident quickly running on the track. In this way, the damage scale could be reduced, and lives could Be saved, “said Farooq Khan, another employee at Peshawar station.
Since its creation, Pakistan railways have been known for the frequency of its fatal collisions and fire incidents, with nearly 1,340 lost innocent lives and several others injured in countless train accidents during the seven Last decades, which means that Pakistan ranks sixth or seventh worldwide in the list of most dangerous railways.
Such revelations are surprising, given the fact that the railways inherited from the British have not been improved at all, some exceeding a lifespan of more than 100 years.
According to Tariq Moin, director of the training of the Fire Protection Association Pakistan, the cars of the Pakistani railways must be equipped with two fire extinguishers, fire alarm buttons, emergency braking buttons or levers, windows ‘Emergency escape, hammers to break the windows in an emergency, improved electric wiring and fire -resistant stoves in the kitchens.
“In addition, cranes deployed during accidents must be equipped with fire -fighting equipment while regular fire exercises should be organized for personnel. Installation of smoke and fire alarms, maintenance, maintenance Appropriate electrical systems and implementation of fire safety protocols in kitchens and restaurants areas, as well as the realization of regular fire safety inspections are also key measures to prevent fire emergencies, “suggested less.
“Our train staff had received fire fighting training some time ago. Since current seats take fire quickly, new seats will be made from contact resistant materials. Is also replaced,” said said the spokesperson for Pakistan railways, Babar Raza.
