Ignored fire safety at Hyderabad school raises hackles

Hyderabad: In a shocking revelation, the fire safety equipment at Kakatiya Vidya Niketan High School has been found in a frightening state, which is raising deep concern among parents, students, and the larger community. Their woeful condition has been made worse by rust and unstable mounting. This sorry state can be found in both blocks of the school.

The deplorable safety measures came to light when Syed Ansar Ali, an alumnus of the school, paid a visit earlier this week. Visibly dismayed by the condition of the equipment, Ali expressed his disappointment, saying, "It's not even a government school. It should be able to afford better safety equipment. Notably, being under a shed, one can’t blame rains for this current state."

Malini Rao, the parent of a student, emphasised the gravity of the situation, stating that that fire safety equipment poses a significant risk.

"In the event of an emergency, this equipment won't even work. Their easy accessibility to children makes it even more dangerous," she said.

A school staffer said that the fire safety equipment has not been inspected, maintained, or updated for over a decade now. According to fire safety regulations, such equipment should be inspected and updated every two years.

When school authorities were approached for comments, its correspondent Rajesh P. accepted the glaring deficiencies and assured swift action.

"We will contact the relevant authorities to assess the equipment, recommend necessary changes, estimate the costs, and initiate all improvement measures," Rajesh told Deccan Chronicle.

He added that with the upcoming holidays starting on Friday, they would have ample time to make amends before the school reopens on October 26. The urgency of the matter has been highlighted by the fact that the school comprises two blocks, each with two floors.

The shocking condition of the school's fire safety equipment has raised concerns about the safety equipment in other schools.

“I wonder how such a lapse is ignored when authorities from the education department inspect the school every year. It is outright negligence on their part," another parent said