Powers of members of Fire Service on occasion of fire

(1) On the occasion of fire, the Director or any officer or member-in-charge of a Fire Station on the spot, may- (i) remove, or may order any member to remove, any person who by his presence interferes with, or impedes, the operation for extinguishing the fire or for saving life or property; (ii) close any street or passage in or near which a fire is burning; (iii) for the purpose of extinguishing the fire, enter, break into or through or pull down any premises for the passage of fire fighting appliances or cause them to be broken into or through or pulled down, doing as little damage as possible; (iv) cause the mains and pipes of any area to be shut off so as to give better pressure of water in the place where fire has occurred or broken out; (v) cause the water of any stream, cistern, tank, well or other available source of water-supply, public or private, to be utilised for the purpose of extinguishing, or limiting the spread of such fire; (vi) exercise the same powers for dispersing any assembly of persons likely to obstruct the fire-fighting operation, 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; and (vii) generally take such measures as may appear necessary for extinguishing the fire or for the preservation of life and property. (2) Any damage done on the occasion of fire by the members of fire service in the due discharge of their duties shall be deemed to be damage by fire within the meaning of any policy of insurance against fire.