Delhi Fire Services getting 200 calls daily amid intense heatwave

With temperatures hovering around 48 degrees Celsius in Delhi in the past two weeks, the Delhi Fire Services has been receiving an average of 200 calls daily. Last year, the fire department received about 160 calls daily during this period.Till May 26 this year, the fire department has received 2,991 fire-related calls. In winters, only 70 to 80 calls are received on average. With Delhi reeling under severe heatwave conditions in the past two weeks, fire-related incidents have been reported in residential areas, hospitals, and parking lots. Atul Garg, Delhi Fire Service chief, attributed the increase in fire incidents to excessive use of air conditioning (AC) units without proper maintenance.Earlier on Saturday night, 7 newborn babies were killed after a children’s hospital in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar was engulfed in a massive fire. RISING FIRE INCIDENTS Atul Garg stressed proper maintenance of electrical appliances at homes, factories, and institutions. He said electrical load and wiring should be checked regularly. "Get the wiring checked to see if it can withstand increased load or not. Geysers run for only a short time in winters, whereas ACs run 247 in summers. As the load increases, wiring may not be able to handle it. Install local MCBs in heavy equipment as they provide immediate tripping," he stated.     WATER SHORTAGEIn the wake of the heatwave, water supply in many parts of the city will be based on demand. Areas that used to receive water twice a day will now only get it once, with the remaining water being diverted to areas with higher demand.Published By: Akhilesh NagariPublished On: May 29, 2024Must Watch