A fire erupted at a private eye hospital in West Delhi’s Paschim Vihar area on Tuesday, according to officials.
No injuries were reported as everyone was safely evacuated from the building.
The Delhi Fire Services received a call about the incident at 11:35 am. The fire originated on the second floor of Eye Mantra Hospital, a fire services official stated.
Six fire tenders were dispatched, and the flames were extinguished by 12:30 pm. Cooling operations are currently in progress.
The fire reportedly started in the wall fixtures of a split air conditioner and a LASIK laser machine. Local police have been notified for further investigation, the official added. The number of fire incidents in the national capital more than doubled in May 2024 compared to the previous year, according to data accessed by Patriot.
According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) data, the number of fire calls skyrocketed by 138.5% from 956 in May 2023 to 2,280 in May 2024.
A total of 956 calls were received regarding fire incidents from May 1 to May 20, last year while this year, the department received a total of 2,280 calls during the same period.
The data came a day after a devastating fire in a neonatal hospital in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar claimed the lives of seven babies, while five others were injured and currently undergoing treatment.
Throwing light on the reasons behind such fire incidents, Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Services, said, “In summer, the risk of fire increases significantly as short circuits occur when electrical wires or appliances overheat, leading to sparks or electrical arcs that can ignite nearby flammable materials. During summer months, high temperatures can strain electrical systems, causing wires to become overheated and more prone to short circuits.”
(With PTI inputs)