Villagio Fire.....A Retrospect
I strongly feel the deaths in Villagio were very avoidable if the staff knew what they are dealing with. I think they showed lacklustre attitude in the first few minutes of learning about the fire and responded inappropriately. Fire spreads rapidly in a place like Villagio, where shops are closely spaced and single storeyed.
Heavy smoke causes unconsciousness and disorientation within just seconds of inhalation and death can occur within minutes, depending upon the type of fire and the material burning. I strongly feel the real cause of deaths that occured in the fire at Villagio yesterday was pure negligence on the part of the mall management and faulty design of escape routes. The very fact that rescue efforts were carried out from the roof, explains a lot about access routes to the Mall.
Fireproof suit. What do they exist for if it can't save lives? Do these suits have any practical application in fire fighting and rescue operations?
Some weeks ago, a fire broke out in my wife's office building next to Kia showroom, opposite Hamad Hospital. She could smell smoke inside her office on the 6th Floor of the building. I was shocked to learn from her that fire fighters had arrived and her office staff were still sitting tight in their offices. They had received no evacuation orders from the Civil Defence personnel, nor were the office bearers of the building conscious enough to know the seriousness of the situation.
I feel the same was being repeated at the mall yesterday that resulted in the deaths of innocent lives. Lets take this as an eye opener and learn something out of it.
The security, the staff and the mall management are to be blamed. Utter foolishness of these people casued this tragedy. They are a disgrace to the society.
I read it somewhere that a lady was in changing room in Zara yday and the staff did not bother to inform her before fleeing!