Aviation safety experts have sounded alarm over a potentially serious fire safety breach at the recently inaugurated terminal of Anna International Airport in Chennai. They have formally communicated their concerns to both the director of the airport and the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
The experts have identified a significant issue with emergency exits within the terminal, which they assert are “sealed” – a move ostensibly taken for security reasons. However, these measures have raised fears that the sealed exits could prove catastrophic in the event of an emergency, similar to the tragic 1997 Uphaar Cinema fire that claimed the lives of 59 individuals.
Capt Amit Singh, who leads the NGO Safety Matters Foundation, has taken the lead in addressing this issue. He recently corresponded with AAI, the director of Anna International Airport, and the fire department in Chennai to highlight the apparent fire safety breach.
Singh explained that the security hold area within the newly commissioned New Integrated Terminal Building, specifically in the international departure hall, fails to meet the mandated fire safety regulations. He detailed that while EXIT signs are present, they lead to sealed Emergency Access doors, without any indication or alternative exits provided for emergency situations.
Drawing parallels with the Uphaar Cinema tragedy, where locked exits contributed to a high casualty count, Singh emphasised the potentially dire consequences of sealed exits during an emergency. He noted that death due to inhalation of smoke is swift, typically occurring within minutes.
Renowned aviation safety expert Mohan Ranganathan, who was part of the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Committee (CASAC), a body formed by the Civil Aviation Ministry, supported Singh’s concerns. Ranganathan pointed out violations in the main building where several EXIT gates are locked, underscoring that he had raised these concerns in previous tweets.
An airport source acknowledged the presence of eight fire exit doors in the new terminal but contended that keeping them unlocked for fire exit purposes could compromise airport security. The source expressed that additional security personnel would be required to guard these exit doors, indicating a possible reluctance to allocate manpower to this task.
Despite the alarming revelations, responses from AAI, the airport director, and the Chennai fire department have been absent at this time. The aviation safety experts, however, continue to advocate for the rectification of this potential hazard to ensure the safety and well-being of passengers and staff at Chennai Airport.
