Street food stalls must comply with fire safety rules

Representation pic

Two gas cylinders exploded on a street food cart in Parbhani district. Nobody was injured, an official from the fire department said recently, according to the news agency Press Trust of India.

The blasts occurred on a ‘vada pav' cart where two gas cylinders on it exploded one after the other, he said, adding that there was no report of anybody being injured. The official said the cart was destroyed in the blaze.

The fire was doused in 30 minutes.

This report hits close to home. There are a myriad of street vendors in Mumbai, with their carts, cooking and selling foodstuff. There are entire khau gullies, and sometimes the cylinders are placed just next to the patrons who are either perched on stools or standing around and eating. We have these carts on our pavements, too. In Mumbai, we have so many Chinese food vendors late evening and night, who actually set up plastic tables and chairs on a broad pavement. People are sitting and eating all around. We have cylinders just next to the person cooking, or near people eating.

This is dangerous but so very commonplace that we do not even stop to think about it. Authorities need to pay close attention, and figure out safety measures at least to some extent. The pavement eateries are illegal anyway, as one cannot set up makeshift restaurants, encroaching on footpaths. If there is a cylinder burst, even a passer-by can be seriously injured.

Those in charge do need to set some kind of rules and regulations, etc. when it comes to street cooking and eating to ensure a modicum of safety. Every small eatery or establishment, meanwhile, needs a clear exit, fire compliance and safety when it comes to the kitchen.

Roadside eateries need a holistic look and have to be tackled at another level altogether.