According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) sources, many of the major hospitals in the national capital, including Ram ManoharLohia (RML) Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital, lack valid no objection certificate (NOC).

Following the August 17 fire at the teaching and PC block of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), this was revealed in a scrutiny of major hospitals.

The sources also said that the trauma centre at RML, emergency block at Safdarjung Hospital, casualty block at LokNayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) and GB Pant Hospital didnt have valid fire NOCs either.

A fire officer said that when a hospital applies for NOC, people from the department visit and check if the parameters are met. If not, then theyinform about the shortcomings. The officer said when the fire occurred at AIIMS, although there was surplus water supply and hydrants, the bigger fire tenders could not enter as the mandatory six-metre road, which should be left on all sides, was not accessible.

The officer said that it is mandatory for high-rises to have six-metre road space on all sides to allow big fire tenders. Thus, in the absence of that at AIIMS, it took enough time to douse the fire.

Over 30 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the fire at AIIMS. The fire department sources said that they were checking records to see the condition of other hospitals as well.

A fire fighter said that it was a Saturday when the AIIMS fire occurred and besides it was not a patient block. If it had been in the afternoon or any other block it would have been tough and worse too.