ISLAMABAD – The fire-safety crackdown in Islamabad has now reached one of top hotels, with Marriott Hotel served notice over alleged shortcomings in its fire and life safety arrangements.
Capital Development Authority (CDA) issued the notice on September 1 after inspecting the five-star hotel and identifying deficiencies in its safety measures. The development comes just days after the devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) nursery claimed the lives of 14 newborn babies on August 26, triggering a wider scrutiny of fire safety arrangements across Islamabad.
Marriott Islamabad was found to be in violation of Sections 3 and 4 of the Islamabad Fire Prevention and Life Safety Regulations, 2010. The hotel has been given 10 days to address the identified shortcomings and complete the required safety measures. Officials has also directed the management to obtain a compliance certificate once the deficiencies have been rectified.
The warning carries a serious consequence: failure to comply could lead to further legal action, including the sealing of the hotel building. Marriott’s fire and safety officer confirmed that the hotel management would comply with the CDA’s directions.
CDA inspection team identified around three to four points requiring attention, describing them as minor in nature. The management expects to complete the required work within the next seven to eight days, ahead of the 10-day deadline.
The officer said the hotel was already working on the issues highlighted by the inspection team. Marriott notice is part of a much broader fire-safety operation launched by the CDA in the wake of the PIMS tragedy.
Authority had already sealed eight other buildings in Islamabad over inadequate fire and life safety arrangements. Several hospitals were also fined for failing to meet mandatory fire-safety requirements. The crackdown follows mounting scrutiny over safety standards in public and private buildings after the PIMS nursery fire.
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