New Delhi

More than 7,800 fire-related emergencies have been reported across the capital in the first four months of 2026, with over 2,300 (around 30 per cent) incidents in April alone, with rising summer heat exacerbating fire risks across the city.

The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) attended 7,801 fire calls till April 27, which is 1,290 more than the 6,511 cases reported during the corresponding period last year, marking a nearly 20 per cent increase, according to official data.

In April, as many as 2,375 fire-related cases were reported till the 27th, slightly lower than the 2,688 calls till April 27 last year, a decline of 313 incidents or nearly 12 per cent.

Yet, April recorded 837 more incidents than March, a rise of about 54 per cent, showing a sharp uptick as temperatures spiked.

The upward trend of fire incidents has been visible since the beginning of the year. In January, the DFS handled 1,396 calls, up from 938 last year, an increase of 458 incidents or around 49 per cent.

The spike was sharper in February, with 2,492 calls compared to 1,076 in February last year, an increase of over 130 per cent, the data shows.

Number of cases fell slightly in March, with 1,538 calls this year against 1,809 in the month last year, a drop of 271 incidents or about 15 per cent.

Officials said the increase in fire incidents is largely linked to summer conditions. Rising temperatures prompt increased use of air conditioners and other electrical appliances, putting more load on wiring and transformers, while dry weather makes it easier for fires to spread.

"There is no single specific reason behind the increase in fire calls. Heat is not the only factor, but it is certainly a major one. As temperatures rise, the load on the electrical infrastructure increases significantly. Air conditioners run continuously, wiring heats up, and transformers operate under stress, which raises the chances of short circuits and fire incidents," a DFS official told PTI.

Daily reports of fire incidents have gone up too. In April, the DFS has been attending around 120 calls a day, compared to about 70 to 80 calls in preceding months, the official said.

According to officials, during the past week, the department received around 200 calls on certain days as the city sweltered under intense heat, reflecting a sharp rise in fire incidents amid rising temperature.

The year also saw some major fire incidents, including the March 18 blaze at a residential building in Palam which claimed nine lives, and the fire in Laxmi Nagar on April 24 where at least 14 people were rescued after flames spread from an electric transformer to nearby residential buildings.

In view of recent incidents and rising risks, the DFS has ordered immediate fire safety inspections in hospitals and moved to empanel agencies for large-scale audits of commercial establishments, especially those operating in residential areas.

An office order issued on March 20 directed officials to carry out detailed checks of fire safety systems in both government and private hospitals, with senior officers asked to submit daily inspection reports.

At the same time, the department has invited qualified auditors and institutions to help scale up inspections across the city in a time-bound manner, particularly in mixed-use areas, officials said.

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Data shows that total fire calls saw a slight dip to 20,379 in 2025 from 21,608 in 2024, suggesting some improvement in prevention.

Fatal incidents also came down marginally to 84 from 90, while non-fatal cases rose to 2,519 from 2,353, indicating better rescue outcomes in several cases.