Alarming escalation: Fire-related calls tripled in city amid heatwave

NEW DELHI: Fire-related calls surged to 180 on Wednesday recording a nearly three-fold rise over the single-day calls received by the Delhi Fire Service, with officials attributing the increase to heatwave conditions prevailing in the national capital.

The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received 220 calls, including 183 fire-related, on Wednesday, the highest so far this year, officials said. The remaining calls were related to bird and animal rescue.

From January 1 to May 26, the department received 8,912 fire-related calls, according to the data shared by the DFS on Monday.

“We received 183 calls fire-related 24 hours, ending midnight of May 29,” DFS chief Atul Garg said.

“This was the highest single-day calls recorded so far this year. Usually, we receive almost 150 calls in the whole summer season -- 60 are fire-related and the remaining are related to animal rescue. But this time there is a three-fold rise,” he said. With the temperature soaring in the city and hovering near the 50-degree Celsius mark, Delhi is seeing a rise in fire-related incidents, claiming several lives.

According to the data, fire-related incidents have claimed 55 lives and injured more than 300 people in the national capital so far this year.

In recent months, the city has witnessed a distressing surge in fire-related casualties, with fatalities totaling sixteen in January, another sixteen in February, twelve in March, four in April, and seven by May 26, according to official records.

Chief Fire Officer Garg emphasised the unprecedented challenge posed by a staggering 183 fire-related calls in a single day, largely attributed to electrical short-circuits.

Among the tragic incidents was a devastating fire at a local hospital claiming the lives of six newborns, along with a separate blaze damaging five shops.

In response, the fire department has initiated free training sessions at designated DFS stations in Rohini and Dwarka, aimed at equipping residents with essential firefighting skills through realistic simulations.

As the city grapples with the alarming escalation of fire emergencies, proactive measures in fire safety education and readiness are imperative to mitigate risks and

prevent further loss of life and property.