Powers of members of the Force on occasion of fire.

On the occasion of fire in any area in which this Act is in force, any member of the force not below the rank of Divisional Fire Officer who is incharge of fire-fighting operations on the spot may––

1. (a) remove, or order any other member of the force to remove, any person who by his presence interferes with or impedes the operation for extinguishing the fire or for saving life or property ;
2. (b) close any street or passage in or near which a fire is burning ;
3. (c) for the purpose of extinguishing fire, break into or through or pull down, any premises for the passage of house or appliances or cause them to be broken into or through or pulled down, doing as little damage as possible ;
4. (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 utilise 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 ;
5. (e) exercise the same powers for dispersing an assembly of persons likely to obstruct the fire-fighting operations as if he 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 an officer, in respect of the exercise of such powers ;
6. (f) generally take such measures as may appear to him to be necessary for extinguishing the fire or for the protection of life or property.