Kolkata: This year’s Bazi Bazaar at the Sahid Minar ground has a new attraction — two devices resembling state-of-the-art assault rifles mounted on stands, their barrels pointed in opposite directions and ready to fire. But these are long-range automated water guns capable of spraying water with considerable force. With a range of more than 100 m, these self-standing monitors allow firefighters to tackle a blaze from a safe distance.The two Korea-made industrial fire-suppression guns deployed at the fireworks fair in the Maidan mark the first public use of the devices by the fire department since they were procured earlier this year. A firefighter said hoses from fire tenders are attached to the guns to supply water, which is then directed at the blaze. The gun rests on a stand, and its barrel can pan from side to side or tilt up and down. Once the jet is adjusted, it can be locked in position, allowing firefighters to handle other emergency tasks while water is sprayed continuously.The devices are expected to be useful at the fireworks fair, where flames may need to be contained from a distance because of the risk of crackers igniting.Burrabazar Fireworks Dealers’ Association president Santanu Dutta said the fire department had been proactive, with about 30 firefighters patrolling the Maidan. Hoses have been laid across the ground, and over 100 portable extinguishers have been kept in stalls and on the central ground.
