Fire brigade skylifts out of service for two months now

In case of blaze, high rises won't get services of skylift as both such vehicles with fire brigade need repairs

Fire brigade skylifts out of service for two months now

In case of blaze, high rises won't get services of skylift as both such vehicles with fire brigade need repairs

Sitting idle: The hi-tech Bronto, which is one of the two skylift vehicles
with the fire brigade. File pic

Though the fire brigade managed to contain the fire in a few minutes, the incident came as another stark reminder of what can happen in case of a major fire in one of the many high rises that have mushroomed in the city. Now the fire chief says it will take 15 more days to get the skylifts back in working condition as tenders will be invited for the work.

The fire brigade has two skylift vehicles -- Bronto, which is made in Finland, and Snorkel, which is made in England. Both vehicles have been lying idle for two months. The last time the vehicles were used was in July last year when a massive fire broke out at the Mutha Chambers on Senapati Bapat Road. Officials from the fire department say a lackadaisical attitude towards the maintenance of these vehicles has led to the situation.
"The Bronto vehicle has developed a snag in its jack-mounting mechanism while the lift of the Snorkel does not stop moving once it comes out. It's a very dangerous situation," said a foreman from the mechanical department of the fire brigade, requesting anonymity.

Firemen said calls reporting major and minor fires came at least once a week from high-rise buildings. "The fire incident at Nucleus Mall on Monday once again set off alarm bells because of the non-availability of skylifts. If the fire at Nucleus Mall had spread to more floors, the firemen would have had to climb hundreds of stairs before they could even sprinkle a drop of water on the blaze," said a fireman.

The Other Side
Give us 15 days
Chiefu00a0Fire Officer Prashant Ranpise yesterday claimed the repairs on the skylifts would be done in 15 days. "We've invited tenders for the repairs," Ranpise said. "Authorised dealers of the Bronto from Finland, and dealers from England or India for the Snorkel, can do the repairs after the tendering process."

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