A puja organiser learns to use a fire extinguisher on Tuesday. Picture by Amit Datta

Representatives of over 230 pujas attended a crash course on firefighting at fire stations across the city on Tuesday.

The state fire services department has organised the two-day workshops. Till last year, it used to hand out pamphlets with instructions to puja organisers.

“We do not want to take a chance. A fire in a crowded pandal can be disastrous. The workshop is being organised to teach puja committees how to prevent and control blazes,” said Gopal Bhattacharjee, the director-general of fire services.

“From identifying the type of fire to operating an extinguisher, hands-on training was provided to the puja committee representatives. We also told them what to use to put out various types of fire,” said Samir Chowdhury, the officer-in-charge of Chittaranjan Avenue fire station.

Tips were also provided at fire stations at Silpara in Behala, Gariahat and Howrah.

“A workshop is much better than reading instructions from a pamphlet. It is difficult for fire engines to reach a pandal during Puja because of the crowd on roads. Hence, members of puja committees have to react quickly in an emergency,” said a representative of Maniktala Chaltabagan Puja Committee who attended the workshop.

The fire department will also set up temporary fire stations at Muchipara, Lake Town, Metiabruz, Tollygunge, Howrah, Watgunge, Salt Lake and Topsia police stations during Puja.