As the world marks April 4 as International Firefighters Day, Bhopal’s fire personnel continue to confront life-threatening situations without access to basic fire-resistant suits—a grim irony for those expected to protect the city.
Despite serving over 30 lakh residents across 21 municipal zones, Bhopal has only 11 operational fire stations. These are located at ISBT, Govindpura, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Kolar, Mata Mandir, Yunani Safakhan, Yatayat Park, Chola, Purana Kabadkhana, Gandhi Nagar Airport, and Fatehgarh.
Most of these stations run with a skeletal workforce. Only a few employees, including some senior officers, hold permanent posts. The rest work on temporary contracts, many of them for over 15 years, earning less than Rs 10,000 per month. They receive no life insurance, no job security, and no government welfare. If a firefighter dies on duty, there is no support for the family—not even the promise of a job on compassionate grounds.
One firefighter said, “We are prepared to face danger when we leave for duty, but it is the condition in which we return—bruised, coughing, fatigued—that terrifies our wives and children. Fire doesn’t discriminate; it treats everyone as a foe.” Another said, “We can’t even ask for what’s due. If we speak up, we could lose our jobs by evening.”
Unofficially, it is acknowledged that the safety of VIPs—including the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the President—during Bhopal visits is often entrusted to daily wage workers earning Rs 300 per day.
Firefighters in Bhopal are paid under the “Pachisi” system, where workers are paid for 25 days a month. There are no weekly offs or public holiday allowances. If a firefighter takes leave, their wages are deducted. After major incidents like the Satpura Bhawan fire, the Kamla Nehru Hospital SNCU blaze, the PWD office fire, and the recent Adampur lanfill fire, several firefighters reported lung and breathing issues. Still, no medical leave was granted.
Adding to the irony is a hydraulic ladder truck worth over Rs 5 crore, bought to extend reach during high-rise fires. It remains unused because there’s no trained operator. Most buildings in Bhopal over 70 feet high are unreachable, including those that tower over 300 feet. During the Satpura Bhawan blaze, a modern hydraulic lift capable of reaching 170 feet was parked nearby but couldn’t be deployed due to a lack of trained staff and unresolved registration issues. An official remarked, “It’s laughable and tragic. We have the equipment, but we can’t use it.”
Fire records show that incidents peak in March, April, and around Diwali, especially on March 1 and 15 November. Some firefighters remember former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan promising regularisation of their jobs. The current Chief Minister has not addressed their condition.
Bhopal’s fire department has around 350 personnel, but only 70 are permanent. A senior official said that given the city’s growth and rising fire risk, at least four more fire stations are urgently needed. The department’s vehicle fleet includes 32 fire tenders, 2 water browsers, 2 hydraulic ladders, and 13 small fire vehicles—only one of which has mist technology.
“We don’t have enough people. We don’t have enough suits. We can’t buy anything without someone else's approval,” the officer said. “But our men keep showing up. They keep putting themselves in danger. And they’ll continue to do so.”