The Kolkata fire and emergency services department has begun on-site fire safety audits at major private hospitals, checking whether emergency systems, evacuation routes and in-house response teams are ready to function during a crisis. The two-day drive has so far covered several prominent healthcare facilities in south Kolkata, with state government institutions and hospitals elsewhere in West Bengal expected to be examined later.
According to the Times of India, audit teams visited Manipal Hospital in Dhakuria, Ruby General Hospital, Belle Vue Clinic and Woodlands Hospital on Friday. On Saturday, inspections were conducted at BM Birla Heart Research Centre, CMRI, Desun Hospital and Fortis Hospital, among others.
The inspections are focused on the difference between having fire-safety equipment installed and ensuring that it works when required. Officials examined entry and exit routes, emergency staircases, smoke detectors, automated sprinkler networks, yard hydrants and static water storage reserves. Teams also assessed the readiness of internal emergency response groups maintained by the hospitals.
“We are examining whether basic fire-safety systems are functional and whether hospitals have adequate arrangements to respond to an emergency,” a senior fire official was quoted as saying.
Hospitals present a particularly demanding fire-safety environment because patients may be immobile, dependent on medical equipment or unable to evacuate without assistance. The audit therefore extends beyond the condition of buildings and equipment to the ability of hospital staff to respond quickly inside an occupied healthcare facility.
The inspection comes after similar safety audits at hotels and shopping malls. The fire department has indicated that the exercise will not be limited to private healthcare facilities. Both private and state government institutions across West Bengal are expected to be covered in a later phase, although the department has not specified a full inspection schedule in the information available.
Some hospitals have responded by demonstrating their emergency procedures. Sombrata Roy, zonal head of CK Birla Hospitals at CMRI, said a live drill was conducted to assess response times. Supratik De Sarkar, zonal head of BM Birla Heart Hospital, also welcomed the initiative.
For hospitals, the audit places operational readiness alongside regulatory compliance. Exit access, water reserves, alarm systems and hydrants must remain usable during an incident, while internal teams need to understand their roles before external responders arrive. The department’s focus on live preparedness suggests that the inspections are intended to assess on-ground conditions rather than rely only on records or certificates.
The next stage of the exercise will determine how widely the audits are extended across West Bengal’s private and state-run healthcare institutions. The fire and emergency services department has not yet disclosed findings or enforcement action from the hospitals inspected during the first two days.