28. Powers of members of the Fire Service on occasion of fire and/or rescue.
- On the occasion of fire rescue in any area in which this Act is in force, any member of the Fire Service who is in charge of fire fighting operations on the spot may-(a)remove, or order any other member of the Fire Service to remove, any person who by his presence interferes with or impedes the operation for extinguishing the fire or for saving life or property;(b)close any street or passage in or near which a fire is being fought and/or rescue work is in progress;(c)for the purpose of extinguishing fire and carrying out rescue operation, break into or through or pull down, any premises for the passage of hose or appliances or cause them to be broken into or through or pulled down, doing as little damage as possible;(d)require the authority in charge of water supply in the area to regulate the water mains so as to provide water at a specified pressure at the place where fire has broken out and utilize the water of any stream, cistern, well or tank or of any available source of water, public or private, for the purpose of extinguishing or limiting the spread of such fire and carrying out rescue operations;(e)exercise the same powers for dispersing an assembly of persons likely to obstruct the fire fighting operations as it were an officer-in- charge of a police station and as if such an assembly were an unlawful assembly and shall be entitled to the same immunities and protection as such officer, in respect of the exercise of such powers;(f)arrest a person who wilfully obstructs and hinders a fire service personnel in fire fighting and rescue operations and shall hand him over to a police officer or at the nearest police station without avoidable delay along with a brief note giving the time, date and reasons of arrest; and(g)generally take such measures as may appear to him to be necessary for extinguishing the fire or for the protection of life or property, or both.
