Date:17/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/17/stories/2007111760060400.htm

Tamil Nadu

MEPZ unit fire: precautionary measures “poor and sad”

Special Correspondent

One of the biggest fires in southern suburbs recently

— Photo: A.Muralitharan

Tough job: Firemen battled hard for several hours on Friday to bring the flames under control at a manufacturing unit in MEPZ.

TAMBARAM: The fire that broke out at the eye-liner and lip-liner manufacturing unit cum godown of Suntara Cosmetics India inside the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) – Special Economic Zone on Friday is one of the biggest fire accidents in the southern suburbs of Chennai in recent times.

The firemen have handled fire accidents caused by electrical short circuit at the construction sites of software companies on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (formerly Old Mamallapuram Road), in slum pockets and even market areas, but certainly not of such a magnitude.

Three Divisional Fire Officers led a team of nearly 75 officers and personnel from various fire stations who battled hard to bring the flames under control after several hours. Several stacked rows of plastic, soft wooden slats and innumerable cardboard boxes were consumed by the flames resulting in thick layers of black smoke billowing out of the unit.

After preliminary investigations, a senior officer from the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department said the fire preparedness and precautionary measures were “poor and sad” considering the size of the godown and the vast quantity of inflammable substances stored in it.

Incidentally, a neighbouring unit manufacturing printed circuit boards had a huge sump where nearly 2 lakh litres of water was stored. Water was pumped from there too. Employees from the factory and those from neighbouring units helped the firemen, apart from removing tins of chemical substances stored in the ground and first floor. Firemen suspect electrical short circuit to be the cause of the blaze.

Mechanism in place

Top officials at MEPZ said the fire at the cosmetics factory had forced them to review strategies to combat such disasters in the future, though an effective mechanism was already in place. Circulars, highlighting the mandatory safety practices to be implemented and notes on measures to be taken in the event of a fire accident were issued at regular intervals. Creating short-term and long-term policies on safe workplaces and modernisation of the entire MEPZ premises were also on the anvil. The modernisation programme attached a lot of importance to fire safety, officials adding that it was likely to commence soon.