Home / Disasters and Accidents / ORR's Deadly Delays: Fire Services Struggle to Respond
ORR's Deadly Delays: Fire Services Struggle to Respond
28 Nov
Summary
- Fire stations are over 10 km from ORR exits, causing major delays.
- A recent fatal accident saw fire tenders arrive nearly an hour late.
- Experts call for more exits and 'flying fire services' on ORR.
Recent events on Hyderabad's Outer Ring Road (ORR) have exposed severe shortcomings in emergency response times, particularly for fire services. The 158-km expressway lacks easily accessible fire stations, with all existing facilities located at least 10-12 km from the nearest exit point. This geographical challenge means emergency vehicles often take 15 to 20 minutes to reach accident sites.
A particularly grim incident on November 24th saw fire tenders dispatched from Cherlapally, a station 29 km away, take almost an hour to reach a car fire. By the time they arrived, a victim inside the vehicle had already perished. Officials cite the highway's design and the initial placement of fire stations as reasons for the distance.
Road safety experts are advocating for significant design changes to the ORR, including the introduction of 'gaping medians' for quicker access to opposing lanes and 'flying fire services'. Authorities are also looking to enhance surveillance with more cameras to expedite accident detection and response, aiming to reduce the critical time lag in emergencies.
