AN INVESTIGATION ON FIRE PROTECTION AND PREVENTION OF

DESIGNED AIR-CONDITIONED SCHOOLS IN DHAKA

Sarah Bashneen Suchana

Lecturer, Department of architecture
Stamford University Bangladesh
744, Satmosjid Road, Dhanmondi Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh
Email:sbs_dad@yahoo.com

Sonya Afrin
Assistant Professor, Department of architecture
Stamford University Bangladesh
744, Satmosjid Road, Dhanmondi Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh
Email:afrinsonia@yahoo.com

Tahmina Ahsan
Assistant Professor, Department of architecture
Stamford University Bangladesh
744, Satmosjid Road, Dhanmondi Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh
Email: tahminaahsan25@yahoo.com

Muhammad Moniruzzaman
Lecturer, Department of architecture
Stamford University Bangladesh
744, Satmosjid Road, Dhanmondi Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh
Email: mzmithun@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

Schools are not inherently dangerous places in terms of life safety and fire. Indeed there has not been
a single fatality recorded in a school fire during school hours, as far as can be established, in the
whole history of fire record-keeping in Dhaka. Schools are encouraged to adopt a fire safe approach
to the management of their school and to develop emergency management plans to cover the event of
fire or other emergency. Investigating the consideration for fire safety in the design phase of public
and private school facilities in Dhaka indicated that the designer as well as the users should identify
the need of providing the fire safety requirements: fire detection and notification systems; fire
suppression and extinguishing systems and means of egress and evacuation systems. Such Technology
has revolutionized the design of schools. The objective of this paper is to present a study for the
consideration of fire safety during the design stages of school facilities in Dhaka; and to present the
need and development of a standards and guidelines relating to fire safety whereby existing school
facilities can be evaluated for the purpose of identifying and eliminating fire hazards, and meeting the
minimum requirements of current situation.

Keywords: Designed air-conditioned schools; fire hazards; safety measures; awareness of users
01. INTRODUCTION

A fire has broken out in a readymade garment factory in Tejgaon industrial area, Dhaka on Aug 9,
2010 (bdnews24.com).The old Dhaka Nimtoli neighborhoods, where the deadliest blaze in recent
memory claimed 117 lives on 3rd June 2010, are still numb with grief for the dear ones lost. Dense
neighborhoods with narrow streets and unplanned building boom in the capital were the reasons for
the high number of such casualties. There are many buildings with such casualties all across
Bangladesh. The problem is we only focus on a building after it is on fire, not before. This is to urge
every building owner to survey their respective buildings, whether private and public, corporate and
educational, medical and entertainment, residential and industrial, to check the following issues: if fire
has been addressed, whether sufficient preparation has been taken to prevent fire from starting,
whether there is water and other arrangements to fight fire, and most importantly, whether people can
escape from the building to safety. If the above mentioned attributes are absent, it is the responsibility
of every individual to use his position to take the message across to those who will execute the plan.
[Nizamuddin, 2009]

Figure: 01. a. Students playing at junior laboratory school, b. Scholastica school, c. ISD

Keeping students safe is a school's top priority Schools are not inherently dangerous places in terms of
life safety and fire. Schools, especially K-12 facilities, have unique safety issues because of the young
occupants. [Figure: 01].One of the most important aspects of a school is its fire safety system. Well-
functioning fire safety systems help achieve that priority and are essential to a school's daily
operation. In order to achieve a fully integrated and safely operating fire system for school facilities,
staff training and an emergency preparedness plan must be implemented in addition to standard fire
protection measures such as structural fire protection, architectural construction, sprinkler and
standpipe systems, fire alarm, and smoke control systems.
The architect “is responsible for the fire safety layout, traffic, density, population, and organization
of the whole as well as for each individual building involved”. The architect” requires a wide
understanding of the basic principles of fire prevention and protection, and should be conversant with
recent findings and research on the subject”. [Nizamuddin, 2009]

Incident 01: Kumbakonam Fire Tragedy, July 16, 2004

At least 87 children were killed in a devastating fire in Krishna Higher Secondary School, a private
school in the small Tamil Nadu town, 400 km from Chennai, while 32 admitted to hospital with
severe burn injuries. According to the police, the bodies of 28boys and 38 girls had been identified
while the remaining ones were charred beyond recognition. Some victims died of suffocation, as the
exit passage was narrow.

Reasons

• Fire in school kitchen due to short circuit

• Many children die of shock, suffocation,
• Building had no proper ventilation,
• Only one entrance and a single flight of stairs.
• rescue operations were hamperedd ffor lack of access
• School staff escape to safety

Figure: 02. Scant regard for safety ru

rules: A number of children died in the Kumbakonam schoochool fire
Figure: 03. Parents broke do
down in tears as the bodies of their children were buried
Figure: 04. Bodies of the children at the
he Government Hospital. Kumbakonam, as parents and oth thers seek to
identify them

On 15th July 2010, “Schools don’t n’t learn from Kumbakonam tragedy”, Justice K. K Sampath
commission, which inquired into the
he Ju
July 16, 2004, Kumbakonam school fire tragedy thathat claimed the
lives of over 80 students, recommended
ended that schools should have more exits and wider er staircases
s to
enable students to escape during emerergencies, several schools in the city are functionin
ing in narrow
buildings and apartments. [Deccan Chro
hronicle on the web]

Incident 02: Fire destroys Eastern

rn Gu
Guilford High School, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006 3:00
:00 am

Figure: 05.E
Eastern Guilford burns, during the fire.

In the high school started in a second nd-floor chemistry classroom that was reported to o be empty. A
teacher spotted the fire, tried to put it out with an extinguisher, and then pulled the alarm
larm as flames
worsened shortly after 2 p.m. No sprink
rinklers existed in the school because they were not required
req at the
time it was opened in 1974, officials sa
said. The attic's design allowed the fire to race into
o the rafters, in
turn heating steel beams to where theyy pupulled away from the walls.

02. FIRE RISK AREAS IN SCHOOLS

HOOLS

A building becomes more dangerouss when it is air conditioned and covered by glass. ss. Apart from
arson, major causes of school firess ininclude improper handling and storage of flammab mable liquids,
overloaded electrical outlets and excess
essive accumulation of rubbish. Fire risk areas in scho
chools are:

In terms of materials
Combustible materials: Combustible m materials are substances that can be burned to provrovide heat or
power. Flammable liquid vapors and co combustible materials can cause serious accidents in the home.
General: Books, Paper, Cardboard, d, ddisplay areas, carpets, blinds/curtains, desks, plastic
pla chairs,
waste materials, pupils’ clothes, bagss and outdoor clothing.
Main Hall: Foam Gymnasium mats, wooden furniture, Musical Instruments and Seasonal Displays.
Laboratory:

In terms of areas

Science rooms and labs: Flammable liquids and chemicals

Kitchen: Cooking Materials & Kitchen Units
Library: Books
Computer rooms: electrical equipment and wires
Woods, metals, auto, graphic arts areas
Home economics rooms
– Copier rooms: papers
– Art rooms: papers
– Displays on corridors

03. OBJECTIVES

Prevention is the key in eliminating conditions which may contribute to the cause of any fire.
[a] Present a study for the consideration of fire safety during the design stages of school facilities in
Dhaka.
[b] Create awareness to the users [students, faculty, officers, and guardians] for establishing a Fire-
safe and secured environment in the schools.
[c] Emphasize on the lack of standards and guidelines relating to safety and security.
[d] Develop set of standards relating to fire safety whereby existing school facilities can be evaluated
for the purpose of identifying and eliminating fire hazards, and meeting the minimum requirements of
current situation.

04. METHODOLOGY

• Photographic and Observational study to depict the school environment and safety measures.
• Questionnaire survey to understand users [teachers, students, staffs] responses.
• Literature review[books, journal ,articles ,website]

05. CASE STUDIES

Fires causing loss and damage can occur wherever human activity occurs. Perhaps the most frequent
location for fires is within buildings. These include both domestic and non domestic premises
[Rasbash, 2004] .Schools is not inherently dangerous places in terms of life safety and fire safety.
However, when a fire does happen, it is a traumatic event in the life of a school. So objectives and
requirements of fire safety should be understood. Fire safety objectives are:
01. To protect life
02. To protect property
03. To ensure that a disaster, which has caused the fire safety activity, “must never happen again”.
[ Rasbash, 2004]
For the study purpose five designed AC schools have taken for case studies and those are:

5.1. International School Dhaka [ISD], Basundhara, Dhaka [Figure: 06]

5.2. Scholastica School, Uttara sector 01, Dhaka [Figure: 07]
5.3. Junior Laboratory School, Dhanmondi, Dhaka [Figure: 08]
5.4. Manarat Dhaka International School, Gulshan 02 Dhaka [Figure: 09]
5.5. Oxford International School, Dhanmondi, Dhaka [Figure: 10]
Figure: 06. International School Dhaka [ISD], Basundhara, Dhaka,Figure: 07. Scholastica School, Uttara sector
01, Dhaka,Figure: 08. Junior Laboratory School, Dhanmondi Dhaka

Figure: 09. Manarat Dhaka International School, Gulshan 02, Dhaka,Figure: 10. Oxford International School,
Dhanmondi

The following analysis through observation highlights “MEANS OF ESCAPE” which act as safely
discharge route in times of fire hazards in schools as well as other building types.

ESCAPE PLAN

EXIT ACCESS RISK AREA

EXIT

CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS

ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM

EXIT DISCHARGE

Figure 12: [means of escape]

Means of Escape is defined in British Standard as:
“Structural means whereby a safe route or routes is or are provided for persons to travel from any
point in a building to a place of safety”
A place of safety is further defined as: “a place in which persons are in no danger from fire”
[Billington, 2002, pg 02]
Considerable savings in both design time and construction costs can be achieved for the client if
means of escape design principles are considered at the earliest stages of a project when basic design
decisions are being made relating to:
• The positions of exits and entrances
• Corridor patterns and widths
• Staircase numbers and locations and
• The need for lifts.
Dhaka Metropolis Building Construction Rules, 2008 (DMBCR) in Porishishto-1[bidhi 59(cho)]
state that means of escape is consists of three parts: [Figure: 12]

[1] Exit access: A route from any point in a building to a final exit.
[2] Exit: The termination of an exit ac
access from a building giving direct access to a stre
treet, walkway
or open space and sited to ensure thee rap
rapid dispersal of persons from the vicinity of a buil
uilding so that
they are no longer in danger from fire.
[3] Exit discharge: Open to sky space
[4] Risk area: The area where there is a possibility of fire hazard.

Table 01:Plan analysis through Obs

bservations
Total land area: 5.25 acre
Architect: A.J.M Alamgir [Arche hetype LTD]
BLDG Type:2-3 storied modern n institutional
i
International School Dhaka [ISD]

building [English Medium]

Location: Basundhara, Dhaka
1. Exit access: The escape route ute is visible
and easily accessible to the mean eans of escape
(stair).
2. Exit: Each cluster of the schoo hool complex
contains two staircases which are re appropriate
enough to serve the escape route.
3. Exit discharge: Open to sky assembly
point ended up on ground level.
4. Risk Area: As the schooll has h not any
Elevators in its plan, the risk for fire thus
Figure: 13 reduced. [Figure: 13]
Total land area: 1.15 acre
Architect: Jalal Ahmed [JAA LTD] TD]
BLDG type: 6 storied modern institutional
ins
building [English Medium-senior or section]
Location: Plot 2, Road 9, Sector, or, 1, Uttara
1. Exit access: The access from rom the class
rooms are all right while from the th labs it is
problematic.
Scholastica school

2. Exit: There are three staircasecases of which

two are right in location but b one is
interrupted by the lift lobby.
3. Exit discharge: Effective indoordoor assembly
point.
Figure: 14 4. Risk Area: Two lift lobby area. area [Figure:
14]
Total land area:10 Katha
Architect: Mamnoon Murshed[D d[DWM4]
BLDG type:6 storied modern inst nstitutional
building [higher secondary educati cation ]
Location:House18,Rd28Dhanmon ondi
1. Exit access: It is very much h near to the
means of escape.
Junior Laboratory School

2. Exit: Only one staircase and a due to

elevator, it falls along the risk area.
rea.
3.Exit discharge: Open to sky assembly
point ended up on ground level.
4. Risk Area Elevators are vulnerable
vu to
damage from fires. Signs should uld be posted
near elevators prohibiting their eir use during
Figure: 15 emergencies. There is no prohi rohibiting sign
near lift core. [Figure: 15]
 Total land area:2.25 acre
Architect: Md. Monowar Habib [Pathkrith
Design Consultant]
BLDG type: 6 storied modern institutional
building [English Medium]
Manarat Dhaka International School

Location: Plot 16,Road 104,Gulshan

2,Dhaka]
1. Exit access: The south-west corner faces
difficulties as its door is under lock & key all
the times.
2. Exit: Of the five staircases, corner two
staircases cover the whole school while it is
in fire.
3. Exit discharge: Two among the three
points have direct exits and the other has
access to the enclosed play ground.
4. Risk Area: Three staircases along with
adjacent lifts made themselves vulnerable to
Figure: 16 the fire.
Total land area:10 Katha
Architect: Mahbubul Malick
BLDG type:6 storied modern school
Location:House34,Road27[old],Dhanmondi,
1. Exit access: route is segmented by the
staircases with lift lobby; it will not work and
can not reach up to the assembly point.
2. Exit: two staircases , one is holding the
elevator and the other remains in front of it.
Hence in case of fire the second staircase will
Oxford International School

not serve as ‘fire escape’ which is expected

3. Exit discharge: As the only way for
getting out from the building is found here
within the boundary, the assembly point is
almost absent here.
4. Risk Area: Elevators are vulnerable to
damage from fires, earthquakes, and other
hazards. Signs should be posted near
elevators prohibiting their use during
Figure: 17 emergencies. There is no prohibiting sign
near lift core. [Figure: 17]

06. FINDINGS

All the designed schools should develop evacuation plan and checklists for a quick and orderly
evacuation thorough assessment of the fire hazards likely to be encountered on route from classrooms
and other activity rooms to safe, open-space areas. Following tables show the findings after field and
questioner surveys of the selected designed schools in terms of evacuation route, placement of exit,
proper utilization of fire fighting equipments and their maintenances [Table 02]. Table 03 points out
the implementation of building code as well as existing situation.
Table 02:Safety measures checklist

School Dhaka

International
International

International
Scholastica

Laboratory

Manarat

Oxford
School

School

School
school

Dhaka
Junior
[ISD]
Safety measures Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
01. Fire Risk Assessment No No No No No
02. Effective means of Yes No No No No
escape route
03. Effective assembly Yes Yes Yes Yes No
point[indoor]
04. Effective assembly Yes Yes Yes Yes No
point[out door]
05. Travel path/ escape Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
route free from
obstacles
06. Primary exit Yes Yes No Yes No
07. Secondary/alternate Yes Yes No No No
exit
08. Enclosed staircase No No No No No
09. Elevators No Yes Yes Yes Yes
10 Fire evacuation drill Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
11. Staff fire training Yes No No No No
12. Fire alarm Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
13. Smoke detection Yes Yes No No No
14. Sprinklers No No No No No
15. Fire fighting Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
equipment
16. Fire hose Yes No No No No
17. Fire hydrant Yes No No No No
18. Fire door No No No No No
19. Fire awareness Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
20. Fire compartments No No No No No
21. Water retention Yes No No No
22. Proper use of Signage Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
23. Emergency plan Yes No No No No
display
24. Maintenance of AC, Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Electrical equipment
and wiring
25. First aid boxes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
26. General cleanliness Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Table 03:Comparative findings between existing situation and Building Construction Rules,
2008 [institutional Bidg]
For educational Building Construction Rules ISD SS JLS MIS OIS
Building[B] 2008
[Porishishto-1[bidhi 59(cho)]
Aisle width Width should be 0.9m[2.9’] for 6’-6” 5’-0” 5’-0” 6’-9” 12’-0”
less than 50 users, 1.1[3.6’]m
for more than 50 users and
above 150 users
1.8m[5.9’][06.02]
Min fire Stair 2.0m[6.5’][table 04] 4’-2” 5’-0” 5’-0” 5’-0” 5’-0”
width
Distance to exit 23.0m[75.5’][table 03] 38’-0” 60’-0" 36’-0” 80’-0” 48’-0”
No of exit For 500 users-02 no exit 02 02 none 02 none
For 501 to 1000-03 no exit
Above 1000-04 no exit[12.03]
Emergency exit Within 25m from any point on Present Present Absent Present Absent
a floor[13]
Necessary One extinguishers 450m2,two Present Present Present Present Present
number of fire extinguishers per floor
extinguishers

[ISD: International School Dhaka, SS: Scholastica School, JLS: Junior Laboratory School, MIS: Manarat
Dhaka International School,OIS: Oxford International School]

Table 04: Existing fire safety provisions are adequate or need improvement
Schools Adequate or Need improvement Necessary action to control the Risk
Adequate Among the five designed school, ISD have taken
better fire safety measures. For fire prevention
International School

extinguisher, smoke detectors, sand buckets, fire

hydrant such equipments are there.[ Figure: 18]
But there is no end to take better option which will
Dhaka [ISD]

make ISD an ideal for other institutional buildings.

Figure: 18
Need improvement Each lab has smoke detector and fire extinguishes.
In front of the lab area a lift without door locks. So
if fire takes place cause of lift there is no way out.
As in front of the lift a stair is there a proper should
be constructed. [Figure: 19]
Scholastica
School

Figure: 19
Needs improvement Each floor has two extinguishers in the corridor.
Lift open on landing of a main stair. [Figure: 20] So
must accommodate a fire stair which will act as an
emergency exit.
Laboratory School

Must provide sprinkle system.

Junior

Figure: 20
Need improvement Every lab has fire extinguisher but not in proper
Manarat International

location. The door of fire exit remains close.

[Figure: 21] This school has two stairs which can be
act as fire exit .But alternate exit, sprinkle system;
smoke detector and escape plan should be added.
Regular fire drill should be exercised.
School

Figure: 21
 Need improvement Every lab has fire extinguisher and school have fire
International

alarm. Regular fire drill takes place.[ Figure: 22]

As the school is centrally AC and the lift open at
main circulation the school authority must provide
emergency or alternate exit, sprinkle system, smoke
detector and escape plan.
Oxford
School

Figure: 22

07. RECOMMENDATIONS

• Fire Awareness
• In Case of Emergency: Fire Safety in Schools Maintenance is Key
• Emergency plan and fire notices
• Fire safety training
• Choose the Right Design Team
• Responsibility of Users, Professionals and concerned institution.
• Evaluation of fire code
• Fire Safety and Design Guidelines for Schools

Fire Awareness
• Fire Awareness Day: Inform and educate our community to improve awareness of fire safety
matters.
• Giving demonstrations and instructions to help people get a better understanding of safety matters
• Increases Situational Awareness during Fires

Consequent to the Kumbakonam fire tragedy, an awareness programme was conducted at St. Thomas
Matric H.S. School, Broadway. Rajesh Khanna, district fire officer, along with his team staged a
demonstration on averting accidents caused by fire. [Figure: 23] He explained the various ways in
which victims can be taken to safety in the event of a fire. Various methods of extinguishing fire were
also demonstrated by a mock drill.

Figure: 23. Demonstration on averting accidents caused by fire

In Case of Emergency: Fire Safety in Schools

• Getting all occupants out of the building is the primary goal during any fire operation.
• Panic or chaos during a school fire emergency can have catastrophic results. To avoid this
outcome, fire drills are the best way to prepare students and staff as to how they should react and
proceed in the event of a fire. In the fire act 2003 there is a provision for regular fire drill.
• Do not prop open fire doors.
• Limit the use of flammable wall coverings.
• Do not block egress paths
• Do not use the elevator
• Every fire safety system should also include an emergency preparedness plan.
• Narratives of building operating systems with detailed procedures should also be included.
• Appropriate signs and tags should be used to provide the necessary communication of hazards
and safety precautions to the faculty, staff, students, and visitors (as well as construction
workers) regarding where the hazards are and how to avoid them.
• Large fire events may also require larger scale evacuations, operation of smoke control systems,
and a coordinated effort between the fire department and the school personnel that maintain and
operate the building systems.

Maintenance is the Key

Good maintenance is also very important in providing a safe building. Keeping corridors clear and
fire doors working may seem mundane, but this is actually required maintenance for the egress
portion of the fire safety system.
• An annual survey of the suitability and effectiveness of fire prevention and protection measures
and facilities at each school project or installation shall be made by a qualified person.
• All employees must be trained on the following subjects:
-Fire hazards of the materials and processes to which they are exposed.
-Fire emergency response and evacuation procedures
-General principles of fire extinguishers
-Hazards involved in fire-fighting
-How to use the fire extinguishers
• The Life Safety relies on features such as automatic sprinkler systems and fire alarm and detection
systems. Once they are installed, fire alarm systems and sprinkler systems need to be maintained
on a regular schedule
• Educational institutions should govern by strict inspection and fire/life safety codes. Most schools
built are required to have sprinkler and other fire/smoke alarm systems. It is recommended to
have smoke detectors along with the sprinklers in the following areas because smoke detectors are
a quicker response to a fire than sprinklers.
-Kitchen-Library-Storage rooms and custodial closets-Woods, metals, auto, graphic arts and other
shop areas-Home economics rooms-Science rooms and labs-Computer rooms -including CAD
rooms-Copier rooms-Art rooms
• At least one portable fire extinguisher should be provided in each position as specified below:

Emergency plan and fire notices

Emergency plans are an integral feature of every buildings system of safety signs and play an integral
role in fire safety management plan.This should include the actions to be taken by staff in the event of
a fire, evacuation procedures and arrangements for calling the fire service. [Figure: 24] In order to
familiarize both staff and students with the evacuation procedure it is recommended that a fire action
notice should be conspicuously displayed in every occupied room informing occupants.

• How to raise the alarm if they discover a fire

• Action to be taken on hearing the alarm
• Escape routes to the assembly point
• The location of the assembly point.

There should be two ways out of every area of the school. If the primary exit is blocked by smoke
or fire, the user can use second exit. Emergency/ escape plan help to quickly identify users’ location
and direct those to all emergency exits.
 Figure: 24 Escape plan

Fire safety training

The objectives of fire safety training are:
• To make everyone aware of the importance of fire safety
• To ensure competence in the school evacuation procedures
• To provide staff with a knowledge of basic fire fighting.

Students/Teachers/Staff training
All the Members of a school should also be given training in:
• The operation of the fire alarm control panel
• The procedure for alerting the fire service
• The location of fire fighting equipment
• The use of fire fighting equipment
• The arrangements for the safe evacuation of disabled staff and pupils
The training will help the users to gain knowledge on six cores: fundamental of fire protection, fire
protection system, fire behavior and combustion, water supply, building construction for fire
protection and fire prevention.

Choose the Right Design Team

The design team as it pertains to fire safety consists of, at various levels, an architect, site/ civil
engineer, structural engineer, construction contractors, school officials, and local building and fire
inspectors working together collaboratively.
• Because a true fire safety system is not just a fire alarm or sprinkler system but an integration of
all active and passive fire control features as well as response procedures, the design requires the
combined expertise of all of these parties.
• The team should not only be aware of specific prescriptive code requirements, but should also
have the capability of providing performance-based design solutions that could save money and
ultimately work better than a prescriptive-based design.
• Selecting a design team with experience in school design, along with choosing an appropriate
system and developing a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan, will better ensure that
schools are ready in case of fire and other emergencies.

Responsibility of users, professionals and concerned Institutions

• Head Teacher: The responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of those in the school rests
principally with the head teacher. According to law the foremost responsibility is that of the
owner of the buildings. The school with an “occupancy certificate” must submit a fire safety
evaluation report to the fire department.
• Architects: The role of architects is most important in designing school buildings. The fire exits
should be designed in such a way so that in case of fire these stairs can not transmit fire through
out the buildings.
• Structural engineers: Responsibility of structural engineers is to ensure materials that are used for
enclosing the stairway and the lift ways can withstand the fire for minimum number of hours.
• Electrical engineers: almost 90% of fire hazards happen due to electric short circuit and electrical
equipments. So the engineers must follow the electrical code in installing electrical lines in the
buildings.
• Fire service department: This department has the right to check the buildings and give fire safety
clearance before occupancy.
• RAJUK: RAJUK has the authority to approve the plan not only multi storied high rise, also for
the normal residential, educational, commercial, industrial buildings. If there is a change in plan
RAJUK has the authority to take necessary initiative on this regard.
• Work Ministry: The work ministry is responsible for ensuring building code only in four major
cities. In the past once a building constructed this institution has no further responsibility. But a
new mechanism called “occupancy certificate” has been introduced which has to be obtained by
the owner after completion of the building.

Evaluation of fire code

All the rules of fire safety have been copied from foreign countries. But the fire code should not be
translated but designed and transformed in context of Bangladesh.

Fire Safety and Design Guidelines for Schools

The purpose of design guidelines will be to provide Boards of Trustees with information on fire
protection for schools. It will provide guidance on design requirements, which will be useful for
the Board and also for architects and professional engineers employed by the school authority to
design new school buildings or do alterations.
Poor building design, together with poor compartmentation of existing schools, can allow a relatively
small fire to be set undetected, which quickly leads to a major fire resulting in severe damage to the
school. Preventing fire damage in new and existing schools requires a multipronged approach and
needs to consider the security of the site, the building design, fire compartmentation and fire
suppression systems.The design must reflect the individual circumstances of the school and should
allow for ease of operation, reliability, and quick and cheap extension or modification. In design
phases the architect should and must make arrangements for the safe evacuation of disabled staff and
students.
Fire safety planning actually begins at the design stage. According to Architect Dr Nizamuddin
Ahmed, fire hazard has multiplied in Bangladesh because of air-conditioned enclosed space, increased
use of electro-mechanical equipment, increased use of flammable finish materials and designers not
addressing new hazard dimension. He says that people will die in a fire incident if the architect or the
building owner does not provide a means of escape to a place of safety. Since smoke kills, people
will die in a smoke incident[Elita 2009].
A minimum fire and life safety code requirements or fire safety measure should be incorporated in the
design of a school building so that hopefully no one gets hurt, injured or killed in the event of a fire.
As we know, when a major fire incident occurs, we begin to discuss the matter but after a few months
the issue of fire safety does not exist in our agenda. Perhaps there is a code of construction
[Bangladesh National Building Code, 1993 /Building Construction Rules, 1996 /Fire Prevention &
Control Act, 2003/Dhaka Metropolis Building Construction Rules, 2008 (DMBCR)] , whether it is
being implemented or not, whether it is being violated or not, we have to try to find out on behalf of
the citizens.
08. CONCLUSION
Few month back, the devastating blaze that reduced the upper levels of Basundhara City Shopping
Complex to a mere skeleton, did much more than scare everyone out of their wits. The blazing fire,
have opened up the eyes of several skyscraper owners, tenants living on top floors and employees
with a nice view of the city from their 20-storey office buildings as well as city dwellers. After the
Basundhara Complex shock, the need for better fire-fighting measures has come to the limelight.[Elita
2009].It can happen to any buildings which do not have taken fire safety measures in their concern.
Schools are the unit of learning and the social awareness should begin from here. So it is expected
that each school building [designed, ac or non ac] of Dhaka should have a proper fire escape, which
would at least bring the occupants[students, teachers, staff, guardians] of the school to safety, instead
of waiting for the fire service department to come . Thus this paper is aimed at local authorities and
other stakeholders with an interest in establishing and maintaining a safe school environment free
from fire and its effects. Children are the most precious asset of our nation and the loss of innocent
lives in fire will be a matter of deepest sorrow. So we as the citizen of Dhaka have to be conscious on
this matter.

REFERENCES:

Books:
Billington M. J, Copping Alex, Ferguson Anthony, 2002, “Means of Escape from Fire”, ISBN: 978-0-
632-03203-7, Blackwell Science Ltd, chapter 01, pg 03

Diamantes David, 2004, “Principles of fire prevention”, ISBN 1401826113, 9781401826116,

Published by Cengage Learning, pg-XV

Rasbash D, Ramachandran G, Kandola B, Watts J, Law M, 2004, “Evaluation of Fire Safety”, ISBN:
978-0-471-49382-2, John Wiley and Sons Ltd, England, chapter 01, pg 04

W. Klinoff Robert, 2006, “Introduction to fire protection”, ISBN 0-7668-4958-9, chapter 04, pg-85

Articles and online news:

Ismail ASM (2009), Roundtable on 'Fire Safety in our Buildings’, jointly organized by The Daily Star
and Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB), Sunday May 3, 2009.

Ahmed N. (2009) Designing for fire safety: Case study Dhaka IV, The Daily star, 2009-04-18.

Ahmed N. (2009) Roundtable on 'Fire Safety in our Buildings’, jointly organized by The Daily Star
and Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB), Sunday May 3, 2009.

Karim Elita (2009),”a blazing problem”, Star weekend magazine, Vol.08 Issue 64, April 03, 2009

Srinivasan.G (2004). 87 children die in school fire. “THE HINDU”, online edition of India's National
Newspaper Saturday, Jul 17, 2004

St. Thomas Matric H.S. School, Broadway, “THE HINDU”, online edition of India's National
Newspaper Saturday, Friday, Jan 07, 2005

Townsend J.S Eric, Fernandez Jennifer, Killian Joe (2006) Title: Fire destroys Eastern Guilford High
School, ‘we’re worried now... what happens next?’ November 2, 2006, Paper: Greensboro News &
Record (NC).