Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials disclosed a concerning spike in emergency calls on Wednesday, with over 200 reported incidents, including 183 fire-related cases—the highest recorded for the year thus far. This revelation, gleaned from DFS data shared earlier in the week, highlights a persistent demand for their services, with a total of 8,912 fire-related calls received from January 1 to May 26.
We received 183 calls fire-related class in 24 hours, ending midnight of May 29, DFS chief Atul Garg said. "This was the highest single-day calls recorded so far in this year."
The data reveals a grim toll of 55 lives lost and over 300 people injured in fire-related incidents across the national capital thus far in the year. The breakdown indicates 16 fatalities in January and February each, followed by 12 in March, four in April, and seven recorded up to May 26. These statistics underscore the urgent need for heightened awareness and preventive measures to mitigate such tragedies.
Tragedy struck on May 26 at Baby Care New Born Hospital in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar area, where a fire outbreak resulted in the loss of six newborn lives and left five others injured. The fire, ignited by five exploding oxygen cylinders, ravaged the neonatal facility.
In a separate incident on May 29, a fire engulfed a civic authority-operated parking lot in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar area, reducing sixteen vehicles to ashes. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in this incident.