The Delhi Fire Service has ordered immediate inspections of hospitals and invited agencies through an expression of interest to carry out large-scale audits of commercial establishments, including those operating in residential areas, according to official documents.
The two-pronged move comes in the backdrop of recent fire incidents, including the Palam blaze on March 18 that killed nine members of a family, and the fire at SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha on March 16, where 12 people died. These incidents have prompted authorities to tighten safety checks.
As per an office order dated March 20, issued in view of recent fire incidents and the heightened fire risk during the approaching summer season, all divisional officers and assistant divisional officers have been directed to carry out immediate and comprehensive fire safety inspections in both government and private hospitals across Delhi.
The document states that officers must rigorously verify the functional status of all fire prevention and safety systems, with the exercise to be treated as a priority.
It further states that deputy chief fire officers have been tasked with submitting daily zonal inspection reports to headquarters for monitoring and consolidation, ensuring that the process is tracked closely and completed in a time-bound manner.
In parallel, the department has floated an expression of interest (EOI) inviting qualified fire auditors, officers, institutions, firms and associations to undertake inspections of commercial establishments across the city. According to the document, the aim is to conduct a comprehensive and time-bound inspection drive, particularly in mixed-use areas where commercial units operate within residential buildings.
The document notes that the move is intended to supplement the department’s capacity and scale up inspections across the city, with selected agencies required to submit technical proposals, budget details and credentials within a stipulated timeframe.
Data from the official document shows that the Delhi Fire Service conducted 5,666 fire safety inspections between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026. Of these, 3,199 premises were issued fire safety certificates after meeting compliance norms, while 2,467 premises were found to have shortcomings. Additionally, 425 fire prevention and safety directives were issued after scrutiny of building plans.
The document further shows that the department handled 36,877 emergency calls in 2025–26, slightly higher than 36,568 in 2024–25, indicating a marginal increase in overall response load. However, fire calls saw a decline, dropping to 20,379 in 2025–26 from 21,608 in the previous year, suggesting some improvement in fire prevention measures.
At the same time, other categories of emergencies increased, with animal rescue calls rising to 4,357 from 3,443, and bird rescue incidents increasing to 3,770 from 2,650. The number of other emergency calls also went up to 8,371 from 8,087, contributing to the overall rise in total calls.
In terms of severity, fatal incidents declined slightly to 84 in 2025–26 from 90 in 2024–25, while non-fatal incidents increased to 2,519 from 2,353, indicating improved response and rescue outcomes in several cases.
On the financial front, the document shows that the Delhi Fire Service has been allocated Rs 413.67 crore under the revenue head for 2026–27, up from Rs 391.82 crore in 2025–26. Capital expenditure has seen a significant jump, rising to Rs 260.27 crore from Rs 112.91 crore, reflecting a focus on infrastructure and equipment strengthening.
The allocation for minor civil and electrical works has been increased to Rs 12 crore from Rs 10 crore, while funding for buildings and structures remains unchanged at Rs 10 crore. An amount of Rs 5 crore has also been earmarked for redevelopment of the department’s headquarters.
The document also outlines expansion in operational capacity, with the number of fire stations increasing from 69 to 71, including a new station at Netaji Subhash Place and a day-time station at Anand Parbat. The fleet has been strengthened with the addition of 17 water bowsers and 35 small water tenders, along with deployment of five multi-articulated water towers for handling high-rise fires.
To improve response in congested areas, the department has identified 100 high-risk fire hotspots for focused monitoring and deployed 24 quick response vehicles to navigate narrow lanes and reduce response time.
The document also highlights targeted measures for JJ clusters, which are considered highly vulnerable to fire incidents. These include improving access for fire tenders, regulating unsafe electrical wiring, restricting combustible materials, strengthening waste management systems, and setting up local monitoring mechanisms with support from civic agencies and police.
The document further outlines activities planned under Fire Service Week, to be observed from April 14 to April 20, with a focus on public awareness and preparedness. The theme this year is “Safe School, Safe Hospital and Fire Safe Aware Society”.
Planned activities include tribute ceremonies for firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty, live demonstrations, mock drills, and outreach programmes across schools, hospitals, markets and residential areas.
Officials said the department will also conduct large-scale awareness drives, including fire safety lectures, evacuation drills and hands-on training sessions for citizens. Institutions and resident welfare associations can request these programmes free of cost, while training sessions will also be held at the Fire Safety Management Academy.
