Fire Safety in Hotel

The hospitality business has grown rapidly in the last couple of decades but during the same time, many hotel fires have taken a huge toll on life and property. Some timely precautions taken in advance and rigorously implemented can prevent fire accidents in hotels as well as limit loss and damages

RECENT LOSSES

April 13, 2022: A massive fire broke out at the hotel in Uttar Pradesh state’s capital Lucknow. The fire erupted in the basement of the hotel. Several fire tenders were deployed at the site to douse the fire & to take the situation under control. Firefighters brought the fire under control after about two hours.

April 07, 2022: A fire broke out at a hotel located on MI Road in the capital city Jaipur at night hours. The fire broke out in the hotel's rooftop bar and restaurant. Firefighters brought the fire under control after a struggle of two and a half hours. Around eight people were trapped on the terrace during the incident and rescued safely with the help of hydraulics.

March 09, 2022: The fire at the Hotel's top floor, adjacent to a mall was reported around 2:45 pm in Bengaluru. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported. A short circuit seemed to have caused a spark to flare up and the fire spread across the building. Emergency services and two fire engines were rushed to the site of the incident. They were able to extinguish the fire in four hours.

February 21, 2022: A fire has broken out at a prominent Mumbai hotel. The fire started in the kitchen of the hotel. The rescue operations were conducted by the fire department timely, and no casualty has been reported.

August 16, 2021: Two people have died after a fire broke out in a hotel around 7.25 am at Sector 8 in southwest Delhi's Dwarka. Soon after, eight fire engines were rushed to the spot. The probable reason seems to be a short circuit at the reception area.

?WHY RISK EXPOSURE IN HOTELS IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS?

• Guests are Not familiar with the hotel layout, location of fire exits, fire escapes, alarm signals, emergency actions etc.
• Guests vary greatly in physical condition, age and mental awareness
• Language Problems
• Guests are asleep
• Printed warning notices are not being read
• Intensified during the stress situation created by an emergency

VARIOUS HAZARDS IN HOTEL

• Fire
• Arson (Deliberately setting fire)
• Flooding / Inundation (Due to Heavy Rain / Basement Area)
• Water Damage (Due to Automatic Sprinkler / Fire Fighting)
• Riots, Strikes & Malicious Damage (External / Internal Factors)
• Occupational violence (Abusive customers or dealing with robbers)
• Lifting and pushing (Handling heavy or awkward-shaped objects)
• Slips, trips, falls (Slipping on a wet floor or tripping on uneven surfaces)
• Hot surfaces and substances (Hot plates, splashes from hot oils or liquids)
• Cutting equipment (Knives and electric meat slicers)
• Theft (From Hotel Room / travelling in Hotel Vehicle)
• Third Party Liability (Pool, Food Poisoning)
• Electric Shocks
• Terrorism

?MAIN CAUSES OF FIRE

• Malfunctions in electrical equipment leading to short circuits, overloads, discharges, etc. (electrical distribution systems, motors, transformers, ventilators, electrical heaters and lighting systems)
• Use of faulty electrical equipment (Such as electric blankets, kettles, cookers, irons, razors, heaters, hair driers and radios, which are possibly not suited to the hotel’s outlets and voltage)
• Carelessness with electrical equipment (Especially negligence in turning off equipment at night or when leaving the room)
• Burning fat and grease, flare-ups in cooking appliances
• Maintenance work such as welding or soldering
• Use of combustible materials and liquids (For Cleaning, Painting, etc.)
• Smoking (Especially in bed and under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs)
• Temporary decorations and fireworks for festivities and functions
• Spontaneous combustion of cleaning rags, cotton waste, etc.
• Arson and Sabotage

PREVENTION MEASURES

Spot the fire risks and install the appropriate prevention, protection and control measures to minimise the risks. Electricity is a potential fire risk. A fire in the hotel kitchen and laundry area may spread rapidly to other areas.

?Following are some of the prevention measures?

• All electrical equipment, wires, appliances, etc. must be of standard quality and maintained in perfect working condition.
• Ensure electrical systems are checked regularly and faults reported and repaired immediately
• Provision of Fire Hydrant System & Operation in Auto Mode
• Fire Detection & Alarm System
• Ensure that the fire alarm can be heard in all parts of the building including the stores.
• Ensure that all means of escape are properly maintained and kept free from obstruction, unlocked and easy to open.
• Make sure that all the statutory fire safety regulations are incorporated into the hotel building night from me construction stage itself.
• Provide enough ashtrays in guest rooms, corridors, restaurants, lobbies, offices, etc. and encourage people to use them.
• Do not overlook routine cleaning and maintenance work when considering health and safety. Develop safe systems of work.
• Implement Work Permit System
• Prepare Emergency Response Plan / Evacuation Plan
• Conduct Mock Drill / Training / Awareness Program
• ?Form Emergency Response Team
• Kitchen and laundry staff must have special training in the prevention and control of fire and in handling fire emergencies.
• Guests should be given clear information about what they should do if they notice fire or smoke and how to get out of the building safely and quickly when they check-in.
• A detailed floor plan showing the escape route, location of fire extinguishers, lifts, stairways, fire escapes landings, fire alarm, telephones etc. can be displayed
• Procurement, storage and handling of hazardous materials like gas cylinders, flammable liquid etc. must be strictly supervised.
• Install CCTV Cameras for hotel area monitoring. Security must be always extremely vigilant and efficient to discourage unauthorized entry of suspicious characters into the premises.

?Reference:

1.???????Loss Prevention News (January – March 1997)

2.???????https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/fire-breaks-out-at-lucknow-hotel-no-casualties-reported20220413232417/

3.???????https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/blaze-in-gomtinagar-hotel-48-rescued/articleshow/90831978.cms

4.???????https://www.zoomnews.in/en/news-detail/the-fire-broke-out-in-the-hotel-at-three-oclock-in-the-night-the-barrestaurant-burnt-down-eight-people-were-pulled-out-by-hydraulic-1.html

5.???????https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/bengaluru-news/fire-breaks-out-at-sukh-sagar-hotel-bengaluru-101646828282639.html

6.???????https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/mumbai-fire-breaks-out-at-hotel-sea-princess-in-juhu-no-injuries-reported/videoshow/89723126.cms?from=mdr

7.???????https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/two-dead-after-fire-breaks-out-in-hotel-in-delhis-dwarka-8-fire-engines-at-the-spot-2510741