Sindh Orders Fire Safety Audits of School Buildings

The government of Sindh province in Pakistan has mandated comprehensive fire safety assessments for all school buildings throughout the region. The resulting data will be compiled and made publicly available on the Provincial Disaster Management Authority's online platform. A deputy secretary from the School Education Department has been designated as the key coordinator for this initiative.

This directive follows a series of recent actions taken by Sindh authorities aimed at bolstering fire safety infrastructure at educational facilities. In August, the Sindh Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions instructed all privately operated schools to maintain operational fire prevention and safety mechanisms at all times.

This included the installation of functional fire alarms, smoke detectors, and appropriate fire extinguishers on each floor and at key locations. Schools were also ordered to keep emergency exits, staircases, and evacuation routes unobstructed, clearly marked, properly lit, and maintained.

Additional requirements involved regular inspections of electrical wiring, switchboards, laboratories, kitchens, generator rooms, and other areas prone to fire risks. Schools were additionally required to publish updated evacuation plans and emergency instructions, conduct three mandatory fire evacuation drills per academic year, and maintain detailed records of these exercises.

Moreover, both teaching and non-teaching staff were obligated to undergo training in fire emergency response, evacuation procedures, and basic first aid protocols.