The technical inquiry report into the fire accident that occurred at the Quality Control Lab on August 8 has recommended that the civic body set up a new laboratory as the current facility is housed in a small space. The new laboratory building is proposed to be built in front of Naukarara Bhavana on the premises of BBMP head office.
The BBMP had roped in experts to evaluate the facility and the team was led by K.N. Subramanya, principal, R.V. College of Engineering. The team inspected the facility on September 8 and later submitted its recommendations which are part of the probe report.
The report said the experts jointly opined that the laboratory is housed in a very small space and is not adequate as per standard specifications. The experts suggested that there should be a circular space around each equipment for each person working on the equipment while conducting the test. The experts pointed that currently, the equipment in the laboratory are cramped and there is not even lateral space between two machines for the person to handle the equipment properly.
The experts also opined that the mezzanine floor constructed out of steel fabrication over the laboratory roof was an ill-conceived idea. The laboratory roof should have a minimum height of 12 feet to 14 feet with cross entries and ventilation. This indicates that poor ventilation further worsened the situation during the fire accident.
The experts also pointed out that small windows blocked the free passage of smoke that erupted due to the fire. The team concluded that the present laboratory should be immediately disused.
The technical report, while it concluded that equipment in the laboratory are in a good condition, also recommended that ground and the mezzanine floor of the present facility may be used as office space. However, it recommended the windows in the building to be widened.
