In the developed world where all passengers are strictly bound by strict laws, trains are still fully equipped with the latest safety equipment to prevent the scale of damage in the event of a deadly emergency. But when it comes to Pakistan, where deviant passengers continue to carry gas cylinders through their luggage, the railway authorities have not failed to upgrade the paraphernalities and staff employed to handle a fire outbreak.

Pakistan Railway’s Fire Brigade Department, which is tasked with preventing and managing fire outbreaks on trains, suffering from neglect and lack of upgrade and maintenance. Completion of this problem lacks the department’s staff training in modern fire safety protocols, making them poorly equipped to handle emergencies. Essentially, the fire safety departments across larger stations in the country are now unable to handle a brand’s emergency, which poses a significant threat to passengers’ lives that regularly travel through the trains, which is an affordable way of intercity travel.

“Pakistan Railways’ Fire Fighting System was better in the past, with several fire offers and trained staff. However, the system has now worsened over time and needs to be improved. In addition, staff must also be trained to meet modern demands,” confirmed Saeed Jadoon, Fire Fighting Expert and Former Chief of Fire Officer at Karachi Port Trust.

Jadoon’s observation was confirmed by a study conducted by Express Pakinomist in Karachi, where only one fire station and a fire bid were available at Cantonment Station in the Karachi Division, which consists of 81 stations ranging from Karachi to Tando Adam, Kotri, Dadu, Hyderabad , Mirpur Khas and Khokhrapar. Furthermore, there was a serious shortage of fire extinguishers in train cars, while the existing ones were either outdated or non-functional. Other essential equipment such as buckets, foam and more lacked as well, while the staff was not sufficiently trained to handle brand emergencies.

Deputy Superintendent Operations Karachi Division, Nasir Nazeer, stated that the fire station at City Station was closed and moved to Cantonment Station due to the falling state of the building. “However, 800 fire extinguishers are installed in the Karachi Division, where each wagon has basic firefighting equipment, and the staff are also trained,” Nazeer claimed.

In contrast, Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) ‘s Firebrigade -Employees reported that Pakistan -Earn Railways Rarely Reacted Fire Events using his own resources, and KMC -Fire Budders and staff were usually the ones to extinguish fires at railway facilities in Karachis boundaries.

The situation was very similar at Lahore Railway Station along with other small and large railway stations over Punjab, which were seriously lacking modern firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers who were either unused or expired and thus unable to control a fire outbreak caused by a gas leak or short circuit.

“Although some fire extinguishers are located in different trains and are available with the train driver, the guard, the air conditioning supervisor and the charge of the charging system, they are only effective for small -scale beaches and evidence useless in case of larger outbreaks. Turns are small, similar to those used in cars. With foam-based, which is more effective in combating fires, ”Raja Muhammad Perez analyzed a retired senior rail manager at the Lahore station.

Miles north of Peshawar, Zawar Khan, an officer at Peshawar Cantt Railway Station, unfortunately told The Express Pakinomist that although the station had a firefighter’s vehicle and its accompanying staff, the vehicle had been standing for years and could never be used to extinguish a extinguishing fire, “Khan claimed.

“Therefore, it would be much better if a railway fighting vehicle could be launched, which could quickly reach the incident by driving on the track. In this way, the scale of the injuries could be reduced and life could be saved,” posted Farooq Khan, another employee at Peshawar Railway Station.

Since its inception, Pakistan Railways has been notorious for the frequency of his fatal collisions and fire events, with nearly 1,340 innocent lives lost and more more wounded in countless train accidents over the past seven decades, making Pakistan rank sixth or seventh globally on the list of Most insecure railways.

Such revelations are surprising considering that the railway tracks inherited from the British have not been upgraded at all, with some exceeding a lifespan of over 100 years.

According to Tariq Moin, director training of the four Protection Association Pakistan, wagons in Pakistan Railways must be equipped with two fire extinguishers, fire alarm buttons, emergency brake buttons or handles, emergency escape windows, hammers for fractures of emergency windows, improved electrical wires and fire resistant hobs.

“In addition, the cranes that are inserted under accidents should be equipped with fire control equipment while organizing fire exercises for staff. Installation of smoke detectors and fire alarms, proper maintenance of electrical systems and implementation of fire safety protocols in kitchens and eating areas along with performing regular fire safety. are also key measures to prevent fire emergencies, “Moin suggested.

“Our train staff had received fire fighting training some time ago. As the current seats of the current seats are quickly teeth, new seats of materials that are resistant to ignition will be made. In addition, short -circuits are taken while the defective wires in wagons are replaced Also, “the spokesman for Pakistan Railways, Babar Raza claimed.