Amid growing concerns over recurring fire incidents in hospitals across the country, the Government has revised guidelines on fire and life safety in healthcare facilities (2026), laying down stricter protocols for fire prevention, evacuation, infrastructure safety, and emergency preparedness in both public and private hospitals in the country.
The updated guidelines, released by the Ministry, replace the earlier 2020 framework and come at a time when several hospital fires in recent years have exposed serious gaps in preparedness, electrical safety, and evacuation systems—particularly in intensive care units and oxygen-supported facilities.
According to a senior Health Ministry official, healthcare facilities are considered especially vulnerable during fires because they house critically ill patients, newborns, elderly people, and individuals dependent on life-support systems. “Hospitals also operate in oxygen-rich environments with heavy electrical loads, making fire management far more complex than in ordinary buildings.”
The official said the revised guidelines seek to create a standardized national framework to improve fire preparedness and minimize loss of life during emergencies.
One of the major changes in the 2026 version is the introduction of a structured, risk-based approach. Hospitals will now be required to identify high-risk zones—such as ICUs, operation theaters, oxygen storage areas, electrical installations, and neonatal units—allowing targeted safety measures and closer monitoring.
The guidelines also place strong emphasis on infrastructure preparedness. Detailed provisions have been included for fire detection systems, alarm mechanisms, smoke management, fire suppression arrangements, electrical safety, medical gas pipelines, and HVAC integration.
Special attention has been given to evacuation planning, particularly for vulnerable patient groups who cannot be moved quickly during emergencies.
Unlike conventional buildings, hospitals cannot rely on immediate mass evacuation. The guidelines, therefore, recommend phased and horizontal evacuation strategies, especially for ICU, NICU, PICU, and operation theater patients.
As per the document, hospitals must ensure that staff are trained to safely relocate patients from one fire-safe compartment to another before considering external evacuation.
Another significant feature of the revised framework is the strengthening of governance and accountability systems within hospitals. The guidelines mandate clearly defined roles for hospital administrations, fire safety committees, fire safety officers, and healthcare staff to ensure a coordinated response during emergencies.
Hospitals have also been advised to institutionalize regular mock drills, fire audits, and induction training programs for employees. Experts say that in many hospital fires, lack of staff preparedness has worsened the crisis, with confusion over evacuation procedures and delayed emergency response.
The guidelines are aligned with the provisions of the National Building Code (NBC) 2016 and will work alongside the updated National Building Construction Standards (NBCS) 2026, as well as state-specific fire safety regulations.
The revised document—prepared after consultations with experts from the Directorate General Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Bureau of Indian Standards, the School of Planning and Architecture, AIIMS institutions, and other technical agencies—also promotes a stronger “safety culture” within hospitals through continuous monitoring, periodic compliance audits, and awareness activities.
Recent inspections conducted by civic authorities in several cities have revealed deficiencies ranging from blocked emergency exits and non-functional fire alarms to overcrowded intensive care units and poor electrical maintenance in many private and government hospitals. In the private sector, many hospitals have also been found operating without updated fire no-objection certificates (NOCs) or without conducting mandatory fire drills.
This has raised concerns about patient safety, emergency response systems, and regulatory oversight.
The Ministry said the framework aims to strengthen patient safety, protect healthcare workers, and ensure continuity of essential medical services during emergencies.
In 2016, 22 people died in an ICU fire at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar that reportedly lacked mandatory fire safety clearance. The tragedy had prompted authorities to make fire safety audits compulsory for hospitals.
Last year, a fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital resulted in the deaths of 12 of the 23 ICU patients admitted to the trauma care unit. Similar incidents have repeatedly exposed systemic gaps in hospital infrastructure and emergency preparedness. Last October, six patients died in an ICU fire in Rajasthan. In 2024, newborns lost their lives in a neonatal ICU fire in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra also reported two such incidents in 2021.
An audit conducted after the Jhansi tragedy had identified serious hazards, including exposed wiring, inadequate earthing, and electrical circuits overloaded beyond their designed capacity—factors widely recognized as major causes of electrical fires in India’s hospitals.
