What are fire safety rules, and why are there compliance challenges? | Explained Premium

The Hindu explores fire safety rules and compliance challenges in the context of Rajkot game zone and Delhi hospital fires.

The story so far: The recent fire tragedies at a gaming zone in Gujarat’s Rajkot and a children’s hospital in Delhi, claiming the lives of at least 40 people in a span of 24 hours, have shifted the spotlight on fire safety regulations and the need for stringent enforcement of safety measures, particularly in buildings vulnerable to man-made disasters.

According to the latest Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) report, released by the National Crimes Records Bureau (NCRB), as many as 7,435 people were killed in over 7,500 fire accidents in 2022. The data indicates that fire accidents continue to cause heavy casualties, with no lessons learnt from the 1997 Uphaar Cinema tragedy or the Kumbakonam fire that killed 90 schoolchildren in 2004.

As commercial establishments, public buildings, and residential complexes continue to flout basic safety norms, putting lives in danger, a look at precautions, procedures, and measures in place to minimise the risk and ensure the safety of individuals and property in the event of a fire.

Timeline | Fire accidents since Independence

The National Building Code (NBC) serves as the central standard for fire safety in India. It was published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in 1970 and last updated in 2016. As a model for adoption for all agencies involved in building construction, the Code mainly provides detailed guidelines regarding the general construction requirements, maintenance and fire safety of buildings. Instructions on fire safety are mentioned in detail under Part 4 of the Code which deals with safety from fire.

The NBC is a “mandatory requirement” for State governments to incorporate the NBC recommendations on minimum fire safety and rescue measures into their local building bylaws. This is because the fire services is a State subject, included as a municipal function in the 12th Schedule of the Constitution. 

State governments are responsible for fire prevention and ensuring the safety of life and property by implementing safety measures through the State Fire Services Act or building bylaws.