New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Delhi witnessed over 14,000 fire incidents between January and November this year, which resulted in 56 casualties and left more than 600 people injured, according to official data shared by the Delhi Fire Service.
An analysis of the data shows that the highest number of fire-related incidents were reported in November when Diwali was celebrated, while the least number of incidents occurred in February.
In March, 14 people lost their lives in different fire incidents, which was the highest number of casualties reported in a month.
According to the data, 14,393 fire incidents were reported between January and November in 2023.
Emphasising the critical role of time in such emergencies, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) director Atul Garg said that even a single-minute gap in reporting such incidents can change someone’s life.
“Due to this gap, the fire intensifies, making it challenging to control. Controlling an intensive fire is difficult, and it also takes more time,” he said, advising people to inform the DFS as soon as a fire erupts.
Traffic was another game-changer, he said.
The fire department has faced challenges in reaching the site of incident due to traffic congestion.
Garg noted several areas where fires break out are congested pockets of the national capital that limit and delay the reach of fire tenders.
“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, such as animal rescue, bird rescue, drowning (related) rescue, house collapse, road accidents, etc. is reported. All calls are promptly responded to,” he told PTI.
According to DFS data, the department received 1171, 941, 1230, 1672, 1570 and 1345 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.
Among the major fire incidents, Garg said that the Roop Nagar and Laxmi Nagar rescue operations were very challenging and underscored the complexity and dangers faced by both the public and the firefighters.
Students of a coaching institute in northwest Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar area in June this year had smashed windows, climbed down ropes and took the help of ladders in desperate attempts to escape a fire that broke out in the building.
Last month, a fire engulfed a building in Laxmi Nagar area, killing a 55-year-old woman and requiring firefighters to rescue 25 people, officials said. They said the fire started in the building’s parking area due to a suspected short circuit and soon spread to upper floors. A firefighter was also injured in the incident.
“Despite the intensity of these situations, there were no casualties during any of the rescue operations in the team in 2023,” Garg added. PTI COR SLB SLB SKY SKY
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.