The fire brigade, upgraded in 2005 with a cost of Rs 650 million, failed to control fire after the powerful terrorist attack took place at Marriot Hotel on Saturday last. Business Recorder team tried to contact Momin Agha, a responsible senior official of Capital Development Authority (CDA), several time but he did not attend the phone call.
Similar emergency situation arouse in 2002 when a floor of 21-storey building caught fire, reason being short-circuiting in the Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat on the Jinnah Avenue. In 2005, the civic body decided to upgrade the fire brigade and a contract worth Rs 650 million was awarded to a firm for improving the Islamabad Fire Brigade under which new fire tenders, two snorkels with the maximum height attainability of 60 metres, other necessary equipment, were procured and the staff was trained to handle it.
According to the eyewitnesses, the first fire tender reached the spot in 20 minutes. It could not provide the desired service, as it was not having water-supply tankers. The batteries of the equipments were also not charged and the fire fighters were seen standing helplessly, waiting for the backup water tankers.
The Islamabad Fire Brigade has two snorkels, but one of them developed some fault and is undergoing repairs, while the other snorkel reached the Marriott Hotel at around 9:15 pm. It was strange to note that the staff, which was to handle the snorkel, was non-professional. Ultimately, fire tenders of various other organisations were called from Rawalpindi to control the fire.