Major safety overhaul planned to prevent fire incidents at Secretariat

Highlights

• Secretariat's entry points to be made suitable for fire service vehicles
• Special fire station to be set up
• Important rooms to be fitted with fire-rated doors 
• Fire detection devices and fire alarm systems to be installed on every floor
• Easily visible fire safety exit signs will be installed
• Modern CCTV cameras to be installed
• Baggage scanning machines to be installed
• Connecting bridges that obstruct firefighting efforts to be removed

The government plans to implement sweeping structural changes and enhanced security measures at the Bangladesh Secretariat, the country's administrative nerve centre, following a major fire incident last year.

The initiatives, which include renovation of rooms with standard interior decoration using Class A fire-rated materials, aim to bolster fire safety and overall security, with plans to make the Secretariat's entry points suitable for fire service vehicles and remove connecting bridges that obstruct firefighting efforts.

The move comes after a fire erupted in Building 7 of the Secretariat on 26 December last year. Immediately following the incident, the Cabinet Division formed a seven-member committee, headed by Additional Secretary Mohammad Khaled Rahim, to investigate the cause of the fire, determine any personal or professional accountability, and recommend preventative measures.

While the committee initially attributed the fire to an electrical "loose connection," a Cabinet Division official, speaking anonymously to TBS, confirmed that the final report submitted to the government also points to electrical faults as the cause. 

The report includes a range of short, medium, and long-term recommendations to prevent and mitigate future fires, alongside general security enhancements for the Secretariat. The government plans to implement these.

A key finding of the investigation highlighted that the Secretariat's electrical substations are outdated and somewhat faulty. The report specifically noted that the substation next to the fire-damaged Building 7 has a substandard design and old equipment, recommending that all 11 substations within the Secretariat be modernised and made safe.

The committee's report made several recommendations for the future prevention and mitigation of fire incidents, to be implemented over the short, medium, and long terms. In addition to fire safety, the report also includes recommendations for the overall security of the Secretariat.

The Public Works Department, under the housing and public works ministry, will primarily execute these recommendations, with support from various ministries, divisions, and the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Regarding this matter, Abdus Sattar, executive engineer of the Public Works Department, told TBS yesterday that a gate has already been constructed next to Gate 5. He mentioned that a project proposal has been prepared and sent to the ministry for approval to implement the other recommendations. 

He also stated that this proposal includes the removal of the two connecting bridges that link Building 5 to Building 6 and Building 6 to Building 7.

Medium and long-term changes planned

Based on the committee's recommendations, the government has also planned several medium and long-term changes and additions to the Secretariat. These include establishing a long-term building management system to integrate electrical safety, fire detection, and prevention and mitigation measures. 

A "special class" fire station will be set up for the Secretariat and its surrounding Key Point Installations (KPIs), equipped with modern vehicles and equipment. Additionally, buildings constructed before the enactment of the Bangladesh National Building Code will undergo earthquake resilience assessments, and if necessary, initiatives for retrofitting these buildings will be undertaken.

Additionally, easily visible fire safety exit signs will be installed that remain illuminated even during power outages. Rooms where important documents are stored within the Secretariat will be fitted with fire-rated doors. In all Secretariat buildings, internal corridors and stairwells will have fire-rated doors instead of collapsible gates, to keep them free from smoke and heat.

In all Secretariat buildings, fire detection devices (fire detectors, smoke or heat detectors) and fire alarm systems will be installed on every floor. These systems will be managed centrally. The investigation team also recommended establishing independent water refilling systems for the Secretariat's internal water reservoirs, in addition to Wasa lines, though this is noted as a long-term task.

The other recommendations include the installation of a sufficient number of high-resolution cameras, modern face detection CCTV cameras, and advanced night vision CCTV cameras for the security of the area, as well as the establishment of a self-sufficient CCTV control room for record keeping.

It was found that most of the CCTV cameras installed at the Secretariat were not operational during last year's fire in Building 7. As a result, the investigation team could not confirm if any individual's involvement led to the fire.

The committee recommended modernising the key management system for various rooms within the Secretariat, suggesting that the maintenance of the key room be entrusted to the police or another security force. It also advised replacing the current collapsible gates with modern lock system gates. To prevent any illegal items from entering the Secretariat, the committee recommended installing baggage scanning machines.

Recommendations have been made to create and assign the necessary number of positions for police personnel to ensure their disciplined performance of duties for the Secretariat's security.

Additionally, it has been recommended that a rule be implemented requiring any official needing to work inside the Secretariat on a holiday for special reasons to inform the relevant branch of the home affairs ministry in advance. The committee also suggested updating security-related policies.

Damage caused by fire

During the 26 December fire, which extensively damaged the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th floors of Building 7, destroying all official documents belonging to various ministries housed there, firefighters faced considerable difficulty getting large fire service vehicles through the Secretariat gates. 

Only two fire service turntable ladder vehicles managed to enter with great effort. At the time, Fire Service Director General Brigadier General Muhammad Zahed Kamal told journalists that the fire could have been extinguished in less time if more turntable ladder vehicles had been able to enter. Additionally, connecting bridges between various buildings hampered the effective operation of the fire service vehicles.

Although the Secretariat has a total of five entry gates, only two are suitable for fire service vehicles. Even through these two gates, large fire service vehicles struggled to enter; on the day of the fire, one fire service vehicle was damaged while attempting to enter through Gate 4.