14K fires claimed 56 lives in Delhi this year

New Delhi, December 5

Delhi witnessed as many as 14,393 fire incidents between January and November this year, resulting in 56 casualties, according to official data shared by the Delhi Fire Service. Besides, more than 600 persons were injured in fire incidents in this period.

An analysis of the data shows that the highest number of fires were reported in November, when Diwali was celebrated, while the least number of incidents occurred in February.

The highest number of casualties in a month were reported in March, when 14 people died in different fire incidents.

Emphasising the critical role of time in such emergencies, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) Director Atul Garg advised people to inform the DFS as soon as a fire erupts. He said even a single-minute gap in reporting such incidents could change someone’s life.

He said traffic was another game-changer. The fire department has faced challenges in reaching the site of the incident due to congestion.

“The Delhi Fire Service, in pursuit of saving lives in the Capital city, responds to 32,000 calls every year. The calls received by the DFS are not just limited to fire incidents but almost every type of incident, including animal and bird rescues, drowning-related rescue, house collapse and road accidents. All calls are promptly responded to,” he said.

According to DFS data, the department received 1,171, 941, 1,230, 1,672, 1,570 and 1,345 calls in the months of January, February, March, April, May and June respectively.

The number of fire incidents reported in July, August, September, October and November stood at 1,194, 1,174, 968, 1,385, and 1,800, respectively.