Kochi: The Rs 3 crore modern fire station at Eloor, the building construction of which was completed months back, will be finally launched on June 12. Currently, the Eloor Fire Force wing is functioning out of a hall in an old building at Anavathil Junction along container Road with no facilities to store fire-fighting equipment. The station, located in the industrial hub of Kochi, had received over 225 distress calls last year alone. However, it has no equipment to fight chemical explosions and has only two fire engines, one of which is over 15 years old.
The new building at Pathalam Junction with 10, 500 sqft floor area has a one-lakh litre storage capacity tank, six rooms and space to park six fire engines among others. The officials hope to get modern equipment once they start functioning out of the new building. “The new fire station will be launched on June 12. Meanwhile, the construction of another modern fire station at North Paravur has reached the final stage,” a senior official of the Fire and Rescue department said.
Though the building work was completed over ten months back, the Kerala State Electricity Board started the wiring work only after completion of the painting works, which meant the walls had to be drilled again. Besides incurring additional expenditure, it delayed the launch. Also Fire officials faced water connection issues. The foundation stone for the building at Eloor Pathalam Junction was laid by former Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in February 2016.
