NEW DELHI: Amid a surge in fire incidents across the national capital, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) has written to the government recommending that smoke detectors and sprinkler systems be made mandatory in all residential buildings, saying the move could reduce fire-related deaths by up to 97%.
The recommendation comes even as a foreign national who sustained severe burn injuries in the fire at a hotel in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar succumbed during treatment on Wednesday, taking the death toll in the tragedy to 23. In an official statement, Max Hospital said a total of nine patients are currently admitted at its Saket facility.
“Of these, seven patients are planned for discharge on Thursday. At present, one patient is receiving care in the ICU, while eight patients are admitted in the wards. All admitted patients are clinically stable. The patients continue to show satisfactory recovery and are being provided comprehensive care and continuous monitoring to ensure the best possible clinical outcomes,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi is likely to conduct a structural and fire-propagation analysis to determine the cause behind the rapid spread of the blaze at the hotel, sources said.
According to fire officials, temperatures rise significantly across north India during the summer months, leading to a corresponding increase in fire incidents every year. This year, the number of fire-related calls received so far is around 1,000 higher than during the corresponding period last year, continuing a trend that is observed annually, officials said.
