With Rising Fire Incidents Precautions & Tight Control Needed

Fire can take place any time, any where. But such accidents can be devastating during the peak of summer.The forest areas of Himalyan states from Ladakh to Uttarakhand to Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh as such, are also very vulnerable to fires during the months of April-May. Incidents do happen in relatively dry areas despite precautionary measures taken by concerned departments and issuing of warnings from time to time.

NCT: DISMAL RECORD

When it comes to urban fires, the National Capital Territory area has witnessed innumerable major fires at the peak of Summer since 2019-20. As per NCT Government sources, quoted in a national daily, these have taken lives of 542 people and over 65 casualties have been recorded over the past six months alone.

When it comes to injuries, total number of 4403 was recorded since 2019-20. The year 2019-20 has been worst both in terms of deaths and injured.

Talking of fire related calls, highest number of 21,668 was recorded during the year 2024-25 and in other six years, an average of sixteen thousand calls were made to the Fire Department.Total number of one lakh 21 thousand and 579 were received, all related to fire episodes.

CHANGING LIFESTYLES

From above figures one can make out how fearsome and life affecting or taking, a fire incident can be. Also most of these take place during the morning hours or odd hours when no help can be expected / possible.

Earlier one family would own one air cooler and one A.C. on an average. With the passage of time, households have managed to install multiple air conditioners. Even construction practices are undergoing a change with owners preferring wooden interiors, inflammable chemicals, oil paintings, wall papers, false ceilings and too many lights which are prone to fire.

Further, new Air conditioners contain inflammable chemicals that may instigate fire.Wide spread non compliance with building bye laws and norms of planning too can be behind rise in residential fires.

UPHAR CINEMA TRAGEDY

In June 1997 during the infamous Uphaar Cinema mega blaze, valuable lives of 59 people were lost. Many were students and house wives. Banshals, the famous real estate men, were jailed , managed bail but ultimately justice was not done to the devastated family members of the victims. Sorrows, No Joy, whatsoever.

As if this was not enough 43 people were killed in Anaj Mandi major fire in 2019. It was followed by May 2022 blaze in Mundka in West Delhi in which 27 innocents were killed. In all these unwanted incidents, apart from some lacunae on the part of owners, according to gathered evidence, response of the earmarked Government departments and agencies was not adequate or was delayed. Blame game , a hallmark of such painful situations, was very distinct or crystal clear.

MALVIYA NAGAR HOTEL FIRE

After a gap of four years on June 3, national capital received another shock in the form of a major fire at 8.50 a.m. in Bed & Breakfast facility ” Hotel” named Flourish Stays in Hauz Rani area at Malviya Nagar. Diagonally across the street from Max Hospital, Saket, twenty one persons, including twelve foreign nationals, belonging to Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique & Bangladesh were killed mercilessly in a massive fire. Forty persons also received grievous injuries. Of these, eight were put on ventilator and fifteen were admitted in Intensuve Care Unit as per Max Hospital sources.

Authorised to operate only six rooms as per licence, a clever and cunning Lovekesh Bajaj, the owner had managed to build as many as 22 rooms, obviously in criminal connivance with officials of concerned Departments, including Delhi Tourism & Delhi Police. He had guts to visit fire ravaged hotel but ran away from the place soon. He is reported to have been involved in a Passport Act case in 2025 also. After this incident, many such properties are being checked for irregularities but soon the enthusiasm will be lost. Spirit of corruption rules the roost in such a business.

Without any doubt it can be said that national capital has acquired dubious distinction of Crime capital. The common man feels that role of Delhi Police continues to be very dicey & suspicious in all fire tragedies right from Uphar in 1997.

Going back to Malviya Nagar fire, how can you have a single entry & exit and a very narrow & dingy stair case leading to cluttered basement, apart from not having a FIRE N.O.C. (akin to a Karol Bagh Coaching Centre in which two IAS aspirants were killed) ?

To make matters worse, basement of B & B facility had main kitchen, a restaurant and eight LPG Cylinders in one place.

More lives could have been lost if Riyazuddin, a great Muslim mattress shopkeeper had not lent his new mattresses to enable many trapped persons to jump to safety. He broke down while being given an honour and a Cash award of Rs.21 lakhs by the Civic Government.

While Delhi Police, MCD and Government 🏬 are engaging in usual blame game, it is heartening to note that five foreign nationals managed to escape the blaze by minutes.

FIRE IN IVY COUNTY, SECTOR 75, NOIDA

In Noida and Indirapuram areas of NCT, fires are not uncommon especially in scorching heat situations.
In two recent incidents valuable property was lost, flats were damaged on upper floors and infamous Fire Brigade of two exalted Districts of Ghaziabad & Noida could not reach the centre of fire as their ladders and water canons cannot go up beyond a certain point. SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.

Timely help and presence of other flat owners in ravaged buildings mattered or saved the day.

As far as 6.58 a.m. fire in a 14th floor flat of IVY COUNTY in Sector 75 is concerned, it was noticed in adjucent Apex Athena Society, rather quickly. It was either caused by a Diya after Puja or is supposed to have resulted from a short circuit from a plug of a Water Cooler. Latter is being mentioned, time & again.

Gradually, we seem to have become very pampered by many equipments and comforting devices. Even Pets need comfort of an A.C.

If I correctly remember till 7.22 a.m. or so, Fire tenders had not arrived. But it looked from outside behind rising blaze that atleast four flat residents were already evacuated.

Fire took menacing proportions in no time. Thrice sounds of some mini blast and sirens emanating from fire tenders were heard.

Late arriving tenders proved thoroughly useless as their water canons or thick pipes could not go beyond six floors and their portable mechanical ladder too was far far below the blaze which was rising further at 7.50.a.m.

Sprinkling of water by courageous flat occupants from adjacent 14th floor flat did wonders and ultimately fire could be doused by 9 a.m. (after two hours)

Apart from super inefficiency of Noida Fire Brigade as indicated already, their personnel had helmets but no mask. Can you fight the Inferno of this kind in this condition ? I did not see but I am sure that they were wearing dress which may not be fire resistant.

Response of so called leaders and prominent persons of gated societies leaves much to be desired in such situations. Instead of gossiping and standing in one place, one should rush to help. Making of video of the incident and talking on Cell phones will have to be given up under such a stress and challenging situation.

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Further, for maintenance men, watchmen, maids, servants, fitters, plumbers, electricians, gardners, cleaning staff, etc.,these situations can be very well used to sensitize and train them for any future exigency.

Also fire drills need to be conducted every month or thrice in six months. Fire fighting equipments too have to be checked atleast once a month. Passage to buildings and individual flats have to be free from any flower pots or similar things.

It has been felt with experience that tragedies of this kind donot come knocking. We need to be alert, awake and prepared. Then only we can control number of deaths, injuries and loss of property.

(The author is former Chief Secretary, Sikkim. Views are strictly personal)