NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has issued a directive requiring all health facilities in the national capital to enhance fire safety measures.
This includes inspecting fire-fighting equipment, conducting electrical load audits, and installing automatic sprinklers in intensive care units (ICUs). Health facility in-charges are required to submit an action taken report by May 31 to demonstrate compliance with these directives.
The civic body advisory comes in response to the tragic fire at the private neonatal care facility in East Delhi, which claimed the lives of six newborns on Saturday night.
The advisory mandates regular checks of fire-safety equipment such as extinguishers, hydrants, and alarms to ensure they are operational. It also stipulates an audit of construction and furnishing materials to replace any combustible materials with fire-resistant alternatives. “All in-charges of hospitals and health units, in coordination with the engineering department, must follow these instructions to prevent occurrences of fire incidents in hospitals and other healthcare facilities,” the advisory stated.
Health facilities are instructed to perform electrical load audits according to the National Electrical Code of India 2023, to ensure that systems are not overloaded, the advisory said, adding, power management systems should be implemented to monitor electrical loads and prevent overloading.
In sites containing oxygen tanks or liquid oxygen, the MCD has directed a strict no-smoking policy and measures to control heat sources. Fire smoke detectors and alarms are to be installed in all areas of the facilities, with particular emphasis on patient rooms, hallways, and common areas.
Moreover, the MCD has directed health facilities to renew their fire safety no-objection certificate from the fire department annually.