The tragic fire at a baby care hospital in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar on May 25, which claimed the lives of seven newborns, has highlighted severe lapses in fire safety compliance among the city’s healthcare facilities. The heart-wrenching pleas for justice from the bereaved parents underscore the critical importance of Fire No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and adherence to the National Building Code of fire safety regulations.
Bureaucratic hurdles and non-compliance:
In Delhi, obtaining a fire NOC for hospitals and nursing homes is often fraught with bureaucratic challenges. Guidelines for obtaining these clearances are intended to ensure compliance with the National Building Code, which categorizes hospitals and nursing homes as institutional buildings requiring stringent fire safety measures.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) examined three nursing homes within a 2-kilometer radius of the Baby Care Centre. The investigation revealed significant gaps in fire safety compliance, putting innocent lives at risk under the guise of regulatory exemptions and lack of oversight.
Stricter fire safety norms since 2019:
Following a devastating fire at a Karol Bagh hotel in February 2019, which resulted in 17 deaths, Delhi tightened its fire safety regulations. The new norms require all multi-storey buildings over 9 meters tall to obtain fire clearance, a change from the previous 15-meter threshold. This adjustment has put many small hospitals and nursing homes, especially those in residential areas, at risk of closure due to the stringent requirements.
Most nursing homes in Delhi operate on mixed-use or residential plots and struggle to meet the structural guidelines, which include a 6-meter wide access road for fire tenders, 2.4-meter wide corridors, and 2-meter wide staircases. A High Court order to clarify these norms for nursing homes is still pending.
Current status of fire safety compliance:
Out of over 1,000 hospitals and nursing homes registered under the Delhi Health Department, only 196 have obtained fire NOCs. Investigations revealed that many facilities operate without these clearances, citing various exemptions.
Singh Nursing Home, located near the Baby Care Centre, was found to be operating a multi-storey facility without a fire NOC. The facility included a basement, ground floor, and first floor, with outdated fire extinguishers and no automated fire safety systems. Similarly, Lokpriya Nursing Home lacked essential safety measures, including proper exits, water sprinklers, and automated fire alarms, raising serious safety concerns.
Accountability and regulatory gaps:
Reaching out to officials from the Delhi Fire Service, the Delhi Health Department, and the Delhi Medical Association to understand the regulatory framework for holding nursing homes accountable. Responses indicated a lack of standardized procedures to enforce accountability in the absence of fire NOCs.
The National Building Code of India, 2016, specifies that healthcare facilities must have emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and automated water sprinkler systems. However, it remains unclear if these guidelines are considered when the Delhi Health Department issues registration certificates.
A senior official from the Delhi Fire Services acknowledged the need for third-party fire audits due to limited manpower. He suggested that the state government authorize third-party auditors to ensure compliance and prevent dubious audits.
Challenges and structural norms:
Gupta Multi Speciality Hospital, despite being equipped with an automated fire safety system, did not meet the existing structural norms. The hospital had applied for a fire NOC two years ago but had not received it. Dr. AK Gupta, the owner, explained that structural relaxations are needed for compliance and that many hospitals in Delhi face similar challenges due to land allotment issues.
The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has filed a petition in the High Court seeking structural relaxations for nursing homes on mixed-use residential plots. The draft norms prepared by the Delhi Health Department were never officially notified, and strict fire safety audits mandated by the Supreme Court during the Covid-19 wave further complicated compliance.
Government actions and future steps:
On Monday, the Delhi government mandated all private and government hospitals to conduct a fire audit by May 8, with compliance reports due by June 8, 2024. Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj emphasized the mandatory requirement for all nursing homes and hospitals to obtain a Fire NOC.
This case highlights the urgent need for stringent protocols, third-party audits, and regulatory oversight to ensure fire safety in Delhi’s healthcare facilities, protecting both patients and staff from preventable tragedies.
