Section 42 in The Tamil Nadu District Police Act, 1859
42. Powers of the Police, etc., on the occasion of a fire.—
On the occasion of a fire, any Police Officer above the rank of constable, or any member of the Tamil Nadu Fire Services above the rank of fireman, may—(a)remove or order the removal of any person who by their presence, interfere with or impede the operations for extinguishing the fire or for saving life or property;(b)close any street or passage in or near which any fire is burning;(c)by himself to those act ing under his orders, break into or through, or pull down, or use for the passage to hoses or other appliances, any premises for the purpose of extinguishing the fire, doing as little damage as possible;(d)cause the mains and pipes of any area to be shut off so as to give greater pressure of water in the place where the fire has occurred;(e)call on the persons in-charge of any fire-engine to render such assistances as may be possible; and(f)generally, take such measures as may appear necessary for the preservation of life and property.Any damage done on the occasion of fires by members of the Tamil Nadu Fire Services or of any fire-brigade or by Police Officers or their assistants in the due execution of their duties shall be deemed to be damage by fire within the meaning of any policy of insurance against fire. But nothing in this section shall exempt any Police Officer or any member of the Tamil Nadu Fire Services or of any fire-brigade from liability to damages on account of any acts done by without reasonable cause.
