HC orders fire safety audit of hospitals, fixes personal responsibility of CMHOs

Jaipur: A division bench of the Rajasthan High Court has directed the state govt to submit a detailed report on the availability of adequate fire-fighting systems in hospitals across Jaipur and other cities of the state. The court further ordered that if any hospital is found lacking proper fire safety arrangements, notices must be issued within a fixed timeline, and the concerned Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of the district will be personally responsible for ensuring compliance.

The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Bipin Gupta passed the order on May 4. The copy was uploaded on Thursday while hearing a suo motu matter concerning the absence of fire safety clearances and inadequate fire prevention systems in govt hospitals.

The court directed all CMHOs in the state to personally ensure compliance with fire safety guidelines in every hospital and clinic having more than 20 beds.

“Proper fire prevention mechanisms are essential to safeguard patients, particularly in large healthcare facilities where emergencies can quickly turn fatal,” the court observed.

The High Court ordered that regular fire drills be conducted in every hospital across the state. “At least two personnel trained in fire safety systems must be deployed in every govt hospital,” the court directed.

The bench clarified that private hospitals will also be required to adopt similar fire safety measures and submit compliance reports to the concerned CMHOs.

The court sought a comprehensive status report from the state govt regarding the implementation of fire safety systems and fixed the matter for further hearing in the second week of July.

The suo motu proceedings were initiated following the tragic fire incident at a medical college in Jhansi in Nov 2024, where 10 newborn babies died after a blaze broke out in the neonatal ward. The incident raised serious concerns regarding fire safety preparedness and the lack of mandatory fire no objection certificates (NOCs) in hospitals.

Emphasising accountability and preventive measures, the High Court indicated that hospital authorities and district health officials cannot ignore fire safety norms, especially in institutions handling critical care patients.
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