Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a devastating hotel fire in South Delhi that claimed more than 21 lives, the Odisha Fire and Emergency Service announced that it will soon issue a comprehensive safety advisory for all hotels and restaurants across the state.
The upcoming directive will strictly caution hospitality establishments against using their basements for any purposes other than vehicle parking or the storage of non-inflammable materials.
Director General of Fire Service, Sudhanshu Sarangi, stated that the department is seeking detailed insights from Delhi fire officials to understand the specific safety gaps and regulatory failures that led to the tragic incident. This information will be used to calibrate Odisha’s local safety measures.
Sarangi emphasised that the state’s advisory will explicitly forbid commercial or residential activities in basements, restricting their utility to parking and safe storage.
The urgency follows alarming investigative findings from the Delhi tragedy, where the ill-fated Flourish Stay B&B Hotel, registered under a government Bed and Breakfast scheme, was found operating with a basement, a ground floor, and five upper storeys. Police found that the basement was being used as a residential space and was completely sealed off by a metal shutter. Firefighters were forced to cut through the shutter to enter the area, where they found six trapped individuals.
With Rath Yatra festival approaching, the Odisha Fire Service is already intensifying its enforcement. Following a high-level review meeting with the Puri district administration on Tuesday, Sarangi announced that all hotel and lodge owners will be mandated to have their electrical wiring inspected by authorised officers before the festival begins. This preemptive measure aims to mitigate electrical fire risks and guarantee a safe, hassle-free environment for the thousands of devotees and tourists expected to visit the state.
