Quick answers
How many people died in fires in Delhi in the first half of 2024?
Delhi Fire Services counted 79 deaths and 394 injuries from 1 January to 24 June 2024. With the four family members who died in a Chhawala, Dwarka house fire on 25 June, the total was 83 deaths.
Did fire deaths in Delhi go up in 2024?
Yes. The same report said 39 people died in fires in the same period of 2023, and fire calls rose from 7,774 to 12,687.
What were the major fire incidents in Delhi in 2024?
The Vivek Vihar newborn hospital fire, a Krishna Nagar residential fire, the Alipur paint factory explosion, the Chhawala house fire and a Dwarka apartment fire.
What happened in the Alipur paint factory fire?
On 15 February 2024, an explosion and fire at a paint factory in Dayalpur market, Alipur, killed 11 people and injured four. The fire spread to a drug rehabilitation centre and eight shops.
How can fire deaths in Delhi homes be reduced?
Keep stairs clear, fit smoke alarms near bedrooms, know two ways out, switch off heaters and chargers at night, and push for regular inspection of hospitals, factories and residential buildings.
Between January and late June 2024, fires in Delhi killed 83 people and injured more than 390, according to Delhi Fire Services (DFS) data reported by PTI on 25 June 2024. In the same months of 2023, 39 people had died. DFS also received 12,687 fire calls from 1 January to 24 June 2024, against 7,774 in the same period a year earlier.
Behind these numbers are newborn babies in a hospital, families at home and workers in a paint factory. Here is what the figures show, the fires behind them, and what you can do in your own building.
The numbers, month by month
This is the DFS count of fire deaths and injuries for each month of 2024:
- January: 16 fatalities, 51 injuries
- February: 16 fatalities, 42 injuries
- March: 12 fatalities, 62 injuries
- April: 4 fatalities, 78 injuries
- May: 7 fatalities, 84 injuries
- June (up to 24th): 24 fatalities, 77 injuries
The monthly figures add up to 79 deaths and 394 injuries up to 24 June. The total of 83 also counts the four members of a family who died in a house fire in Chhawala, Dwarka, on 25 June, a DFS official told PTI. June was the worst month, with 24 deaths in its first 24 days.
The fires behind the numbers
Chhawala, Dwarka house fire (25 June)
Four members of one family died of suffocation when a fire broke out in their home in the Chhawala area of Dwarka. It was the smoke, not the flames, that killed them.
Vivek Vihar newborn hospital fire (May)
A major fire at the Baby Care New Born Hospital in Vivek Vihar killed seven newborn babies, and it spread to two buildings next door. Newborns cannot walk out; staff have to carry every one of them. That is why hospitals and nursing homes need a valid fire NOC, working alarms and clear exits more than any other building.
Krishna Nagar residential fire (May)
On the same day as the Vivek Vihar fire, three people died in a fire in a four-storey residential building in Krishna Nagar.
Alipur paint factory explosion (15 February)
An explosion followed by a fire at a paint factory in Dayalpur market, Alipur, killed 11 people, including a woman, and injured four. The bodies were found badly burnt. The fire spread to nearby buildings, including a drug rehabilitation centre and eight shops. Paint, thinner and chemicals stored among homes and shops can turn one fire into a disaster for the whole lane.
Dwarka apartment fire (February)
An 83-year-old woman died and her granddaughter was injured after jumping from the fourth floor of their building in Dwarka to escape a fire. People jump when smoke fills the stairs and they see no other way out.
What needs to change
- Inspections that actually happen. Fire rules for homes, shops, factories and hospitals mean little without regular checks. Hospitals and nursing homes in particular need working fire systems, not just papers.
- Awareness at home. Families should know about smoke alarms, keep an extinguisher they know how to use, and know two ways out of their building.
- Safer buildings. Fire alarms, sprinklers where required, fire-resistant materials and enough exits and staircases.
- A stronger fire service. Better equipment, training and response times for Delhi Fire Services.
What you can do this week
Walk down your building’s staircase and clear anything stored on it. Find out who keeps the terrace key. Before you sleep, switch off heaters, irons and chargers you are not using. Save 112 and 101 in every family member’s phone, and agree on one place outside where everyone will meet if there is a fire.
What needs attention
- Delhi Fire Services counted 83 fire deaths and more than 390 injuries in Delhi between January and late June 2024
- June was the deadliest month, with 24 deaths up to 24 June and four more in the Chhawala, Dwarka house fire on 25 June
- Seven newborns died in the Vivek Vihar baby care hospital fire in May
- Eleven people died in the paint factory explosion and fire at Dayalpur market, Alipur, on 15 February
- An 83-year-old woman died and her granddaughter was hurt after jumping from a fourth-floor flat in Dwarka to escape a fire
Controls that reduce risk
- Resident welfare associations: check that every block has a clear staircase and working fire extinguishers
- Hospital and nursing-home owners: get the fire NOC renewed and test alarms, sprinklers and exits
- Traders: keep paints and solvents in small quantities, away from living areas and stairs
- Get your home wiring checked before summer, especially for AC points
- Fit smoke alarms near bedrooms and agree a family escape plan
Common unsafe practices
- Running hospitals and nursing homes in buildings without fire approval or working fire systems
- Storing paint, thinner and chemicals in crowded markets next to homes and shops
- Leaving residential buildings with a single staircase and no second way out
- Overloading AC and wiring in summer without checking the electrical load
- Sleeping without a smoke alarm, so a night-time fire is found too late
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