Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Fire Services on Monday sealed two basement halls of a prominent hotel in front of the Ram Mandir, for violation of fire safety norms.

The halls are used for social functions.

Fire officials said this was the first incident of sealing of establishments after the Odisha Fire Safety and Fire Prevention Rules came into force on October 4 last year.

The fire services directorate swung into action after finding loopholes in the fire safety arrangements of these halls of The New Marrion. "Both the halls are located in the basement of the hotel and both of them don't have adequate escape route in case of emergency. Highly combustible and inflammable materials were used in the ceiling and walls, which is extremely vulnerable towards fire mishap. So, both the halls were instantly sealed during inspection," said director-general (fire service) Bijay Kumar Sharma.

"There cannot be social functions such as marriage. On February 8, we intimated the hotel for fire safety inspection. Besides another inspection of the hotel had been conducted in 2012 before the rules came into force. We had advised them to come up with the fire safety measures in both the halls," said a fire official. The officials of the hotel, however, denied to comment on the issue.

The directorate on Monday also inspected 26 malls, jewellery shops and hotels and found negligence in fire safety measures. The team found fire buckets being used as dustbins, blocked escape routes, basements filled with combustible materials and expired fire extinguishers.

"Notices will be served to them to adhere to the norms. The establishments will also be asked to fulfil the shortcomings within the specified time. If they fail to comply within the time, they would be sealed. The inspection will continue and all such establishments will be inspected," said chief fire officer (fire prevention wing) of Odisha B.B. Das.