Breaking down the figures, the MFB data shows that in 2024, 5,228 of the fire calls were categorised as ‘stop’ calls—minor blazes extinguished before the fire brigade’s arrival or resolved without escalating to Level 1
Mumbai witnessed a noticeable rise in fire incidents in 2024, with 227 more cases reported compared to the previous year. According to data shared by the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the city recorded 5,301 fire incidents between January and December 2024, up from 5,074 incidents during the same period in 2023.
Officials and experts attribute this increase to gaps in regular inspections of commercial and residential buildings to ensure compliance with fire safety norms, coupled with a general lack of awareness and preparedness among citizens.
Breaking down the figures, the MFB data shows that in 2024, 5,228 of the fire calls were categorised as ‘stop’ calls—minor blazes extinguished before the fire brigade’s arrival or resolved without escalating to Level 1. This number marks a slight increase from 4,993 stop fire calls in 2023.
Interestingly, the number of Level 1 fire calls, which indicate slightly more serious incidents, stood at 55 in 2024, marginally lower than 57 in 2023. Level 2 and Level 3 fires also saw a small decline, with 13 and four calls reported in 2024 compared to 14 and nine respectively in 2023. The highest severity fires, categorised as Level 4, remained steady at one case each year.
A senior officer from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) acknowledged the need for tighter inspections. “It is true that inspections by the MFB need to be stringent. However, the department is understaffed. The MFB has 160 scheduled officer posts, which needs to be increased considering the increased number of fire stations,” the official said.
An officer from the MFB further explained the challenges of ensuring complete compliance across the city. “It is practically impossible to inspect every building in a city like Mumbai to ensure fire safety and prevention compliances. The officers have to attend disaster calls as well as carry out administrative work,” he added.
Experts suggest that the authorities leverage technology to ease the burden on staff and improve compliance tracking. Ramesh Prabhu, chairman of the Maharashtra Housing Society’s Federation, highlighted the potential of digital platforms in facilitating fire audits and enforcing rules.
“There is a lack of conscious efforts from authorities as well as citizens. Mumbai has around 50,000 buildings and MFB is indeed understaffed to physically carry out inspections. They can provide a section on the BMC Citizen’s portal where societies can upload their fire compliance report and authorities can also issue showcause notices online,” Prabhu suggested.
He stressed that housing societies are required to conduct fire audits every six months but questioned how many sincerely follow through. “The internal fire fighting systems are non-operational several times and security staff too are untrained. Even to change a bulb or repair open wires, society takes it casually. The citizens also need to make conscious efforts to ensure their safety,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Godfrey Pimenta from the Watchdog Foundation emphasised the role of housing societies and commercial establishments in taking proactive steps. “Instead of relying only on authorities to inspect, ensure compliances etc, the housing societies and commercial establishments should carry fire drills. Several times, injuries and casualties happen because residents are not aware of evacuation methods or cannot even operate a fire extinguisher. The authorities should ensure regular fire drills and training to security guards to avoid severe mishaps,” he said.
The rising numbers underline the need for a collaborative approach, combining stricter inspections, effective use of technology, and heightened public responsibility to curb fire incidents in the city.
