A few years ago, the Bombay High North oil platform was struck by a drifting vessel that had gone to pick up an ailing employee and had lost control in the choppy seas. The collision caused a major oil spill which caused both the platform and the ship to catch fire. The fire claimed 10 lives and many were reported missing. It destroyed one of India’s biggest oil platforms.

Sleeping workers of a leather factory were caught unawares a huge fire broke out at their unit in the wee hours of November 22, 2006 located in South 24 Parganas. When workers realised the factory was ablaze, they were unable to break open the locked doors of the unit. Thirty people were burnt to death in the inferno.

A giant tank holding 8,000 kilolitres of petrol at a depot in Jaipur caught fire in the evening of October 29, 2009. While the number of deaths was pegged at 12, hundreds others were injured.

These stores made headlines when they happened and one may remember them or not.

The increasing number of fire accidents, which result in injuries, loss of life, and damage to property, has led to the implementation of various codes, regulations, and standards for fire safety and fire protection. The implementation of stringent regulations and norms is driving the demand for fire-resistant coatings, as newly constructed buildings and processing plants need to meet the required safety and fire resistance standards. In this edition, we try and analyse how some of the market players are focusing on developing new and innovative products that comply with the stringent safety and fire protection standards.

Also, as the world opens up conferences, events and exhibitions are once again getting into the physical mode. The past few months have shown that digital formats cannot replace a real trade fair. Many have already announced their forthcoming events that will foster face-to-face contact. The Middle East Coatings Show being held in Dubai, September 27 – 29, 2021; Messe Hannover, April 25 – 29, 2022 and PaintExpo 2022, April 26 – 29, 2022 are the front runners once again announcing offline shows. Trust everything works well and we can return back to normal as soon as possible.