Vadodara: The Vadodara Fire Brigade has issued notices to 269 buildings after detecting fire safety violations during inspections of 678 properties across the city over the past five months.

The inspections, conducted as part of a fire safety enforcement drive launched in January, covered a wide range of establishments, including hotels, restaurants, hospitals, schools, colleges, high-rise buildings and residential complexes. Eight teams were deployed to carry out the inspections and assess compliance with fire safety norms.

According to fire officials, the violations included the absence of a valid Fire No-Objection Certificate (NOC), failure to renew existing NOCs, non-functional or shut-down firefighting equipment, obstructions at entry and exit points, blocked evacuation routes, storage of materials in stairwells and the absence of emergency signage.

The 269 buildings found deficient were served notices and directed to rectify the shortcomings within the stipulated time.

Deputy Fire Officer Amit Chaudhary said the campaign focused not only on identifying deficiencies but also on improving preparedness through mock drills and training programmes.

“During this campaign, inspections were carried out and defects were identified and rectified. Mock drills and training were also conducted so that people can respond effectively during a fire emergency and control the situation at the initial stage before the fire brigade arrives,” Chaudhary said.

He added that building operators have been instructed to conduct monthly checks of firefighting equipment to ensure that all systems remain operational.

The fire brigade has also issued fire safety certificates to 41 high-rise buildings and 69 low-rise buildings during the period.

Of the total notices issued, 14 were served in January, 186 in February, 44 in March, 10 in April and 12 in May, indicating intensified enforcement during the early phase of the campaign. DeshGujarat