• Committee appointed to study new fire units
• Labour, Industry Ministries explore expanding fire coverage

The Labour Ministry has appointed a committee, following discussions with the Industry Ministry, to explore establishing additional fire-fighting units in industrial zones and areas with large concentrations of factories.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (26), Labour Ministry Secretary S M Piyatissa said that the move follows concerns that existing fire brigades are largely limited to Municipal Council areas, resulting in longer response times during emergencies.

"Now, we have appointed a committee to come up with solutions, including establishing more fire-fighting units. Even during the recent fire at a factory in Homagama, it was the Kotte and Colombo fire brigades that had to respond to contain the blaze. The established fire-fighting units in the country are basically situated within Municipal Councils. We are planning to ensure wider coverage," he said.

He also said that factories across the country would be assessed to determine whether adequate fire safety measures are in place. "Factories are required to register with the Labour Ministry after one year of operation. As per new regulations, submitting a fire safety compliance report will now become mandatory. Once the reports are submitted, random inspections will also be carried out to verify compliance," he said.

Meanwhile, the Colombo Fire Service Department stated that a total of 258 fire incidents were reported in Colombo and its suburbs during the first seven months of this year. A total of 17 rescue operations were also carried out in connection with those incidents. It also stated that 13 emergency calls unrelated to fires had been received this year, including incidents involving fallen trees, road obstructions and road traffic accidents.

Last year, 382 fire incidents and 46 rescue operations were reported in the Colombo District.