9 schools, training institutes denied fire clearances this month in Delhi

New DelhiSchools and educational institutions accounted for nine of the 15 establishments that were denied fire safety clearance by the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) during inspections of 60 educational, healthcare and hospitality institutions across the national capital that started this month, officials said on Friday

New Delhi

DFS flagged non-functional firefighting equipment, missing safety systems and blocked ventilation in several buildings as the key gaps. (Representative photo)

Schools and educational institutions accounted for nine of the 15 establishments that were denied fire safety clearance by the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) during inspections of 60 educational, healthcare and hospitality institutions across the national capital that started this month, officials said on Friday.

DFS flagged non-functional firefighting equipment, missing safety systems and blocked ventilation in several buildings as the key gaps. The educational institutions inspected included schools and training centres across Wazirpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Karol Bagh, Dwarka, Qutub Institutional Area, Mathura Road and the Lodhi area.

“Among the common shortcomings found were smoke management systems removed from basements, non-functional public address and fire alarm systems, and fire pumps that could not operate automatically. In some buildings, exhaust fans in basements were blocked by fixed panels, while fire-check doors had been removed and electrical shafts were left unsealed,” a fire department official said.

The inspections are part of stringent compliance checks against the backdrop of a series of fatal building collapses, fires and other incidents due to civic deficiencies. These include the Saidulajab building collapse, in May that left six dead, and incidents of fires at coaching centres at Mukherjee Nagar in 2023 and Old Rajendra Nagar in 2025.

Firefighters also found water-based systems, including fire pumps, hose reels and internal hydrants, to be non-functional at some institutions. Other lapses included non-functional terrace-level fire pumps, missing exit signage, fire extinguishers that were not working and first-aid hose reels without functional nozzles.

Senior DFS officers said several schools and training institutes had obtained fire safety clearances earlier, but subsequently expanded their buildings or failed to maintain the prescribed safety measures. Such violations were noticed during the recent inspections, they said.

The department issued warnings, cancelled fire safety clearances where required and asked the principals and management concerned to take corrective action, officials said.

DFS officials said the latest inspections highlighted the need for institutions not only to obtain fire safety clearance but also to maintain the equipment and systems required under the norms.