Powers of members of Fire and Emergency Service on occasion of emergencies

On the occasion of an emergency, the fire officer in charge may,- (i) remove, or order any other member of the Service to remove, any person or assembly of persons who by their presence interferes with or impedes the operation for extinguishing the fire or for saving life or property; (ii) close, or order any member of the Service to close, any street or passage in or near which a fire is being fought and /or rescue work is in progress; (iii) for the purpose of extinguishing fire and carrying out rescue operation, break into or break through or pull down, any part of a building or cause them to be broken into or broken through or pulled down, for the passage of hose or other appliances and equipment, doing as little destruction to property as possible; (iv) 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 dealing with any other emergency: Provided that no authority in charge of water supply in any area shall be liable to pay compensation for any damage caused as a result of the authority complying with the direction of the officer in charge; (v) require the authority in charge of electric supply or any other such infrastructure in the area to regulate the supply so as to aid extinguishing or limiting the spread of such fire or dealing with any other emergency; (vi) if police help is delayed, detain a person who willfully obstructs or hinders Fire and Emergency Service personnel in firefighting and rescue operations and hand him over to a police officer or at the nearest police station as soon as may be feasible, but in not more than twenty four hours after the person was detained; and (vii) generally, take such measures as may appear to be necessary for extinguishing the fire or for the protection of life or property, or both.