Delhi has not improved even after 29 years of Uphaar fire, these 5 major negligence continue

The history of fire incidents in Delhi is often replete with stories of safety rules being ignored and warnings being ignored. From the famous Uphaar cinema fire of 1997 to the recent fire in the hotel in Malviya Nagar, investigation into almost every major accident has revealed that safety rules were not followed properly.

According to the data of Delhi Fire Service given in the media report, in the first five months of the year 2026, there have been 10,103 incidents of fire in the capital, in which 44 people died. In January, 1,396 fire incidents were recorded, in which 6 people lost their lives. 6 people also died in 1,096 incidents in February.

The situation became worse in March. Where maximum 15 people died in 1,538 fire incidents. In April, the fire department received 2,663 calls and during this period 5 people lost their lives. The situation worsened further in May, with 3,410 fire-related calls and 12 people died.

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History of major fires in Delhi due to gross negligence

• Closing of emergency exits: The main reason for the death of 59 innocent people in the 1997 Uphaar cinema incident was the closure of the emergency exit. Even today, this most basic rule of safety is being ignored in most of the commercial and multi-storey buildings of Delhi.
• Operation of illegal factories in residential areas: In the year 2019, 43 workers lost their lives in a fire in an illegal factory in the crowded area of ​​Anaj Mandi. Apart from this, in 2018, 17 people were also killed in the illegal firecracker factory of Bawana. Ignoring the rules, factories are still being run amidst dense population.
• Illegal construction in commercial buildings: In 2019, 17 guests died in a fire caused by an illegally constructed kitchen in a hotel in Karol Bagh. In pursuit of more profits, expansions done without getting the map passed or done illegally remain a big negligence even today.
• Violation of fire safety standards: In May 2022, a massive fire in a commercial building in Mundka took the lives of 27 people. This accident was a strong proof that compliance with fire fighting system and NOC rules in buildings is limited only on paper.
• Lack of security audit in sensitive institutions: In the year 2024, seven newborn children died when an oxygen cylinder exploded in a baby care center in Vivek Vihar. The lack of regular safety audits in hospitals, care centers and religious gatherings (like the 2011 Nand Nagri incident, where 14 deaths occurred) remains the biggest weakness of the administration.

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If seen overall, the major causes of fire in big cities like Delhi are often some carelessness. These include illegal construction, ignoring fire NOC rules, absence of emergency exits, lack of safety equipment and ignoring warnings.