The latest fire that has engulfed New Supermarket unfortunately solidifies the fact that fires are increasingly becoming a part and parcel of life in the capital, and indeed the nation as a whole.
However, the fact that the shopping complex was declared a fire hazard seven years ago raises important questions about the state of fire safety and the enforcement of code. This latest fire, along with the increasing trend of fires spreading through the capital, outlines a disturbing picture of corruption, infrastructural failings, and gross lack of accountability.
To start with this most recent fire in New Supermarket, the fact that nothing had been done in the past seven years to address the concerns raised back then is simply unacceptable. There are building codes and routine checks in place to specifically ensure that incidents like this do not occur.
Since the affected venue was clearly flagged for risk of fire already, what exactly kept the administration from doing something about it? Safety protocols cannot only exist in theory, they need to be implemented for the safety of everyone, especially in large public venues such as a supermarket.
Why weren't there any steps taken in the past seven years? Why were the market authorities allowed to get away with something like this? While no lives were lost in the fire, it has impacted the livelihoods of far too many.
Empty words and hollow consolations will not work anymore. Given the severity and frequency of such fires in the past few months, a dedicated committee is the need of the hour, one that would be empowered enough to go through our capital and root out establishments which do not follow basic fire safety protocols and report them.
We cannot afford to watch all the progress we have made as a nation go up in flames like this.
