Kathmandu Metropolis prepares to get fire trucks to the scene within 5 minutes during festivals

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has said it is prepared to get fire engines to the scene within five minutes in case of fire or other disasters during the festive season.

Since the risk of fire rises during festivals including Dashain and Tihar, the Fire Brigade Office under the Disaster Management Department has kept its equipment and personnel on standby.

According to Metropolis Fire Commander and Senior Deputy Superintendent of Metropolitan Police Naresh Raj Kunwar, the office is currently providing service from 3 locations. He said fire engines, equipment and staff at all three stations are kept ready for immediate mobilisation.

Kunwar said about 6 to 7 fire engines, along with the personnel needed to operate them, have been kept on standby if required. Depending on the distance to the incident site, a team is dispatched from whichever of the three stations is nearest.

The Metropolis said a team is arranged to leave the office within 1 minute of receiving news of a fire or other disaster. A separate duty roster has been prepared for the festive season, prioritising public safety.

The Metropolis currently has about 21 firefighters deployed and working. Fire Commander Kunwar urged everyone to exercise caution when installing and operating lights, saying that unsafe handling of electrical equipment can cause fires.