Every time there is a major fire incident in Dhaka, especially in the densely populated older part of the city, firefighters regret how they could have minimised damage if the streets were a bit broader for their trucks.
During political demonstrations over the last few years, torching vehicles such as buses and trucks emerged as the most ‘popular’ way of showing dissent. Almost all the vehicles set on fire by the protesters were eventually burned beyond redemption because the big firefighting trucks take time to move out of the stations.
Even for dousing a small fire – let’s say the fire that catches a running bus on the road from an engine glitch – full firefighting units have to be mobilised.
Keeping this things in mind, the Fire Service and Civil Defence authorities have introduced an innovative new service, which they are calling the “Two Wheeler Fire Fighting Units.”
These are basically motorbikes but equipped with fire extinguisher, a 40-litre water tank, foaming device, compressor and first aid box. Around 150 of these motorbikes have been recently imported from China.
Instead of remaining stand-by at the fire stations, these mini firefighting units will be patrolling the streets of initially Dhaka and then gradually those across the country.
The idea is to allow these mini units get the first shot at containing a fire until full units arrive. Initially, they will be attached with patrol units of law enforcement agencies and authorities believe that these mini units would come in handy during political programmes such as hartals and blockades.
Maj Mohammad Mahbub, project director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “The motorbikes have been mainly introduced to douse fire in remote areas, especially in those places streets are narrow and big trucks cannot enter. One example is Old Dhaka.
“Moreover, moving big trucks out of stations take time. But these motorbikes can be dispatched as soon as the news of a fire comes.” In June, 12 of these motorbikes were handed over to the Khulna district fire service authorities.
“We are planning to import more motorbikes in the coming days,” Maj Mahbub said.
