Kumbakonam Fire Accident

KUMBAKO NAM SCHOOL FIRE TRAGEDY

SIDE VIEW OF THE KUMBAKONAM SRI KRISHNA PRIMARY SCHOOL

FRONT VIEW

THE DREAMS OF PARENTS

ON JULY 16 TH 2004 THEY SET TO SCHOOL AS ANY OTHER DAY

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N K T N R O R E N U V E RE ET E N E R M Y A W O E S T Y H T E G HE H N T I T O

THE FIRE • The town of Kumbakonam mourned 90 children who died when a blaze engulfed their primary school.

•THE CAUSES

The school had about 900 students housed in over crowded classrooms

KITCHE N

THE KITCHEN WAS LOCATED AJDACENT TO THE STAIRCASE(NARROW)

FIRE WOOD OVENS WERE USED INSTEAD OF GAS COOKERS

THE CLASSROOM ON THE TOP MOST FLOOR HOUSING 180 CHILDREN HAD A THATCHED ROOF

WHILE THE OLDER CHILDREN WERE HOUSED IN BRICK AND MORTAR CLASSROOMS , ONLY THE NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WERE HOUSED IN CLASSROOMS THAT HAD THATCHED COVERING

OLDER STUDENTS PLACED NEAR THE STAIRCASE

THATCHED CLASSROOM

HALL

THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE KITCHEN WERE THE MID DAY MEALS WERE BEING COOKED

THE BURNT THATCHED ROOF OF THE SCHOOL

POLICE INSPECTING THE REMAINS

FIRE ENGINES

THE SCHOOL TEACHERS WERE NOT TRAINED TO HANDLE CHILDREN IN SUCH CRISIS THEY RUSHED FASTER TO SAME THEMSELVES(NO INJURY)

THE PARENTS ARE TO BE BLAMED TOO

D I D T N E M T R A 3 P E R D O F N L O I O T O A H C C U S D E E H E T TH T C T E O P S N N I D I T D O T N N E M T S R M A R P O E N D YRS Y E T C E I F L A A O S P E E P L H H A T T V P R OR O R F P P K A C E O G H N I C V I V G E E R O F D BE

SO WHOSE FAULT WAS IT????????

IT WAS NOT A MATTER OF FEW SECONDS BUT A MATTER

90 LIVES ….

THE LIVES OF OUR FUTURE CITIZENS

Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s poem Oh dear little ones ! Oh dear little ones! For you ,parents had glorious dreams! And you were all immersed in your own dreams Yet ,Agni engulfed you and all your dreams Taking you to Almighty’s divine presence Usually, departed old parents are buried by sons Whereas, Kumbakonam saw a sad scene! Crying parents burying their little ones!! Oh Almighty, bless those parents wailing in grief To have the strength to bear this great loss May thy compassion and grace prevade all souls And bring down the pain and wipe away the tears Oh Almighty ! Show your grace on those little ones.

NOT LEARNING FROM THE

NOT THE FIRST BUT THE 4 TH MAJOR FIRE ACCIDENT IN TAMILNADU JUNE 7 TH 1997 60 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN A FIRE IN BRIHADEESWARA ALAYAM AT TAJAVUR

ON AUGUST 6 ,2001 30 MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS (CHAINED TO THEIR COTS) IN A MENTAL ASYLUM PERISHED IN YERWADI

JANUARY 23,2004 SRIRANGAM 30 PEOPLE INCLUDIN THE BRIDEGROOM

HER DREAM WILL NEVER COME TRUE

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARE

CHECK THE FOLLOWING: •GENERAL AIR QUALITY •VENTILATION SYSTEMS •ROOFING SYSTEMS •FIRE PREVENTION SYSTEMS •SAFE EXITS

STEPS TO BE TAKEN BY SCHOOLS TO ENSURE SAFETY

INSTALLING FIRE EXTINGUISHE RS AT EACH FLOOR

INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS

THEY USE IONISATION AND PHOTOELECTRIC

) O W T I T ( X D S E A E O D S R A N B C A R I Y A R T ST N E R O F

EDUCATING TEACHERS ON USE OF SAFETY

USING SIGN BOARDS

SUGGESTED CHECKLIST •DOES EACH CLASSROOM HAVE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, ESPECIALLY NEAR SWITCH BOARDS? •ARE FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS PROVIDED? •WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS,LIKE KITCHENS? •WHAT FIRE EXITS ARE PROVIDED OTHER THAN STAIRCASES? •HOW MANY STAIRCASES ARE PRESENT?IF THERE IS ONLU ONE ,IS IT SUFFICIENT TO VACATE ALL THE STUDENTS IN LESS THAN A MINUTE IN CASE OF A FIRE? •WHAT IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE FARTHEST CLASSROOM AND THE STAIRCASE? •ARE THE BULIDINGS OCKED OR BLOCKED?IS SEURITY VIGILANT ENOUGH TO OPEN THE GATES WIDE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY? •ARE ALL THE STAFF TRAINED TO HADLE CHILDREN IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY? •ARE FIRE DRILLA HELD PERIODCALLY? •DO YOU HAVE EMERGENCY LIGHTING SYSTEM,ESPECIALLY IN CASE OF INSTITUTIONS THAT TEACH AT NIGHT TIME?

VIJAYAN

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MERCY ANGEL

M O F R F SO K C W A A J B E H H T AT E

A S E K A T T S U J W E IT F F I O R T E T S T U A R M O F S E T U N I E M H T Y F I T C E R S E E K W A L T L S I I W M R K E S V A E O N T T E C BU N A H M C O A R F T E S G S E N E

S I N O I T PREVEN N A H T R BETTE CURE E B S U T LE , Y L L A N O I S S E F PRO Y L L A R O M TH