Power of fire bridge and other persons to extinguish.

98. Power of fire bridge and other persons to extinguish. (1) On the occasion of a fire in a municipal area any Executive Magistrate of the area, or the Executive Officer or any member of municipality or any member of a fire brigade maintained by the municipality, then and there directing the operations of men belonging to the brigade, and any police officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector, may - (a) remove or order the removal of any person who by his presence interferes with or impedes 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) for the purpose of extinguishing the fire break into or through or pull-down, or cause to be broken into or through or pulled down or used for the passage of houses or other appliances, any premises ; (d) cause mains and pipes to be shut off so as to give greater pressure of water in or near the place where the fire has occurred ; (e) call on the persons in charge of any fire-engine to render such assistance as may be possible ; (f) generally take such measures as may appear necessary for the preservation of life or property ; when any Government building is endangered by such a fire, the officer of the Public Works Department for the time being in charge of the building may exercise the powers conferred on Executive Magistrate by this sub-section. (2) No person shall be liable to pay damages for any act done by him under sub-section (1) in good faith. (3) Any damage done in the exercise of a power conferred or a duty imposed by this section shall be deemed to be damaged by fire within the meaning of any policy of insurance against fire.