Fire safety certificate denied to Delhi's LNJP hospital over major safety lapses

NEW DELHI: Delhi government’s largest public hospital, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP), has failed to secure a renewal of its fire safety certificate after the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) flagged multiple violations across its buildings during a recent inspection.

With summer heading towards its peak, the lapses, which include blocked staircases, missing firefighting equipment, and non-functional smoke management systems, have raised concerns over patient and staff safety.

Rising temperatures and increased electricity demand during this season often lead to a surge in fire incidents.

According to the DFS, a comprehensive inspection of various blocks of the hospital was conducted on March 25 and 26 in the presence of officials from the Public Works Department (PWD).

The findings reveal that the hospital has not complied with multiple fire safety norms, making it ineligible for the mandatory certification.

In the Casualty OPD and Surgical Block, inspectors noted that the six-meter-wide road essential for fire tender movement was not clearly provided, as per the DFS’s report to the hospital.

One of the staircases in the surgical block was found blocked with dumped waste materials, which could seriously hamper evacuation during an emergency. Exit signage was inadequate, and several hydrant boxes were missing hoses and branches. Additionally, parts of the casualty block were under renovation, with firefighting systems temporarily disconnected.

The BL Taneja and MRD blocks were also found deficient, with Manual Call Points (MCPs) non-functional and fire-fighting hoses missing in several locations.

The basement smoke management system in the MRD block was not working, and electric wires were found hanging haphazardly.

The officials also found fire safety gaps in OT and Ortho blocks, where the Public Address (PA) systems and basement smoke management units were non-functional, while the diesel engine was not set to auto mode, hindering automatic emergency responses.

The six-meter road around the Ortho Block, required for fire tender access, was encroached upon by parked vehicles, sheds, and tree branches.

The New Special Ward also exhibited multiple violations, including non-functional PA systems, missing door closers on fire check doors, and incomplete firefighting provisions.

"It was informed during the inspection that renovation works are undergoing on several floors. Still, it doesn’t justify the lack of basic fire safety preparedness," a PWD official said.

The DFS in its report concluded that the renewal of the Fire Safety Certificate for the hospital “cannot be considered” until full compliance is ensured.

Estimatively, the LNJP handles footfall of over 5,000 patients daily in its OPD and IPD units. Just last year in June, a tragic fire at a children's hospital in Delhi's Vivek Vihar, known as Baby Care New Born Hospital, resulted in the deaths of seven newborns. The authorities later found blatant disregard for fire safety norms at the hospital.