Dehradun, June 5 -- Tragic loss of lives due to fires in buildings constructed in violation of safety norms has become even more frequent these days. Every time such a tragedy takes place, the officials and the media speak of the total disregard for the necessary precautions against fire breakouts. There are no fire exits, fire-fighting equipment is absent or non-functional, staff in restaurants, hotels and other commercial establishments are not trained in evacuation procedures - basically these places are death traps waiting to be sprung.
'Short circuits' are often the stated cause for fires. This indicates poor maintenance of facilities and even the lack of knowledge about how these dangers can be prevented. Simple things like not overl...