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NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has issued directives to all healthcare facilities in the national capital asking them to strengthen fire safety measures.

This includes inspecting fire extinguishing equipment, conducting electrical load audits, installing automatic sprinklers in intensive care units (ICUs), etc. Heads of health care facilities must submit a report of the measures taken by May 31 to prove they are in compliance with these directives.

The civic body's advisory comes after six newborns were killed in a horrific fire at a private newborn care facility in East Delhi on Saturday night.

The recommendations mandate regular inspections of fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire hydrants and alarms to ensure they are in working order. It also prescribes auditing of building and furniture materials and replacing flammable materials with fire-resistant alternatives. “All persons responsible for hospitals and health facilities, in coordination with their engineering departments, must follow this instruction to prevent fire accidents in hospitals and other health facilities,” the recommendations state.

Healthcare facilities have been directed to conduct electrical load audits as per the National Electrical Code of India, 2023 to ensure that the systems are not overloaded, the advisory said, adding that power management systems should be put in place to monitor the electrical load and prevent overloading.

In facilities with oxygen tanks or liquid oxygen, MCD prescribes strict no-smoking policies and measures to control heat sources. Fire smoke detectors and alarms should be installed in all areas of the facility, with special emphasis on patient rooms, corridors and common areas.

Further, the MCD has directed health facilities to renew the fire safety no-objection certificate from the fire department every year.

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