Fire Safety in High-Rise Flats: A Residents’ Checklist
Contents
Most of NCR’s new homes are in towers of 20, 30 or more floors. Living high up has real advantages, but it changes how a fire plays out. If a fire starts on the 18th floor, the building’s own systems and the residents’ own actions matter far more than the fire engines parked below.
This checklist covers why that is, what to check in your society’s fire systems and paperwork, what your association and maintenance agency should be doing, and simple measures inside your own flat. It applies to Noida, Greater Noida West, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and other high-rise areas.
Why the building’s own systems matter most
Fire brigades fight upper-floor fires mainly from inside the building, using the tower’s risers, pumps and fire lifts. External ladders and hydraulic platforms reach only so far.
- Ghaziabad: the Ghaziabad Development Authority bought a 42-metre hydraulic platform, reaching about 14 floors, in 2017. After a fire at Gaur Green Avenue in Indirapuram in late April 2026 gutted at least seven flats on the 9th to 11th floors, the authority approved ₹100 crore for two 102-metre platforms, according to a May 2026 report. Residents said high-reach ladders were not available at first.
- Noida: the reach of available platforms has long been reported at about 42 metres, while many towers in Noida and Ghaziabad are 100 metres or taller. A May 2026 report quoted Noida’s fire chief saying a 102-metre platform was being procured.
- Gurugram: reports in 2026 said the city’s only hydraulic platform, with a 42-metre reach, had been out of service for years. A 2026 report put the outage at since 2022. We could not confirm the current status from an official source.
The flip side is that working internal systems do save lives. When a 10th-floor flat at Lotus Boulevard in Noida’s Sector 100 caught fire in May 2024, fire officials said the society’s suppression system helped bring it under control in about 30 minutes, and no one was hurt. The society said it had repaired its systems after an audit a month earlier.
Even when taller platforms arrive, they will be few and must reach the right tower through traffic. So the systems built into your tower, and whether they work on the day, are what keeps people safe.
The fire paperwork: what to ask for
Uttar Pradesh
Fire safety in UP is governed by the Uttar Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022, which has since been amended in 2026. A high-rise needs fire department clearance at the planning stage and before an occupancy or completion certificate is issued. Fire certificates also have to be renewed periodically, and the period depends on the type of building and current rules. Ask your apartment owners’ association (AOA) or maintenance agency for:
- the fire NOC or fire safety certificate issued at completion, with its date and the towers it covers;
- the latest renewal, and when the next is due;
- the most recent fire audit or inspection report, and what was done about any defects.
Enforcement has tightened after fires. A May 2024 report said audits of 370 high-rise blocks in Noida and Greater Noida found firefighting deficiencies in 125, and cases were filed against 77. In February 2026, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district magistrate pulled up the Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities for not submitting inspection reports on high-rise societies, despite directions in December and January.
Haryana
Haryana’s fire law was replaced by the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022. Fire NOCs for high-rise projects carry conditions, and NOC letters filed with Haryana RERA show validity periods and a requirement that the owner or occupier gives an annual self-declaration that the fire systems are working. Any addition or alteration ends the NOC until a revised fire scheme is approved. A 2022 audit in Gurugram, cited in a 2026 report, found that about 30% of high-rises lacked fire NOCs. Ask to see the current NOC and the latest self-declaration.
If you are buying, the RERA project page and the occupancy certificate are where to start. Our guides to areas such as Greater Noida West and Ghaziabad cover the wider locality; fire compliance must be checked tower by tower.
The building systems checklist
The National Building Code of India 2016 (Part 4) sets fire and life safety requirements, which state bye-laws adopt with changes. Older towers may have been approved under earlier rules, so not every building will have every item. What matters is that whatever was approved is present and working.
| System | What to check | Who is responsible |
|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm and smoke detection | Detectors in lobbies and common areas; alarm panel shows no faults; alarms tested and audible on your floor | AOA and maintenance agency |
| Sprinklers | Heads not painted over or blocked by false ceilings; valves open; pressure gauges in range | Maintenance agency; residents must not tamper inside flats |
| Wet riser and hose reels | Hose cabinets on each floor unlocked, hose present, nozzle attached; landing valves not leaking | Maintenance agency |
| Fire pumps and tanks | Pumps on auto, diesel pump starts on test, underground and overhead fire tanks full | Maintenance agency; AOA should see test logs |
| Staircases | Clear of stored items; fire doors self-closing and not wedged open; emergency lighting works | Everyone; AOA enforces |
| Pressurisation of stairs and lift lobbies | Fans start automatically when the alarm triggers | Maintenance agency |
| Fire lift | Clearly marked; firefighter switch works; on backup power | Lift contractor and agency |
| Refuge areas (taller towers) | Open and empty, not converted to stores, gyms or rooms | AOA |
| Electrical rooms and shafts | Locked, not used for storage; no loose wiring; shaft openings sealed between floors | Maintenance agency |
| Fire extinguishers | Present in lobbies and basements; refill dates current | Maintenance agency |
NBC 2016 requires refuge areas in buildings taller than 24 metres. These are spaces where residents can wait in relative safety. In some societies they have been enclosed or used for storage. That defeats their purpose and should be raised with the AOA.
Drills and the society’s role
A working building still needs people who know what to do. A well-run society should:
- hold an evacuation drill at least once a year, with the fire alarm actually sounded;
- train security and maintenance staff to operate pumps, the alarm panel and the fire lift switch;
- keep a list of residents who need help to evacuate, such as older people or wheelchair users;
- put floor plans showing exits near the lifts on each floor;
- keep the fire tender access road and the space around towers free of parked cars;
- share the fire audit findings and the repair plan with residents.
Residents can ask for these at the AOA’s general body meeting. Asking for test logs and drill dates is reasonable and often moves things along.
Inside your flat: practical measures
Many flat fires in NCR start with electrical faults, especially air conditioners in summer. A fire on the 12th floor of a 28-storey tower at Ivy County in Noida’s Sector 75 in June 2026 was likely caused by a short circuit in an AC, the chief fire officer said. In Delhi, several deadly fires in May and June 2026 were linked to suspected AC faults. In July 2026 the Central Electricity Authority advised consumers to keep use within their sanctioned load, check that home wiring can carry the connected load, and avoid running ACs continuously.
- Service ACs before summer through trained technicians, and check the outdoor unit’s wiring and the socket or isolator.
- Do not overload sockets with multi-plug adaptors or extension boards, especially for heaters, geysers, irons and ACs.
- Check your sanctioned load against what you run. If you have added ACs, apply for a load increase rather than living with tripping or heating cables.
- Fit smoke alarms in the hallway and near bedrooms. Battery models are inexpensive and need no wiring.
- Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen. A multi-purpose dry powder (ABC) type covers most household fires. Learn how to use it before you need it.
- Do not block windows or balconies with fixed grilles that cannot be opened from inside.
- Do not charge e-scooter or e-bike batteries overnight in passages or near the main door.
- Take care with diyas and puja lamps, and do not leave them burning when the flat is empty.
- Store little that burns in the balcony or utility, particularly near the AC outdoor unit.
If there is a fire
Advice from fire services is consistent:
- Raise the alarm and call the fire service (101) or emergency services (112).
- If the fire is in your flat and you can leave, get out and close the door behind you to hold back smoke.
- Use the stairs. Do not use the lifts unless firefighters tell you to.
- Stay low if there is smoke. Feel doors before opening them.
- If smoke blocks the stairs, go to a refuge area if there is one, or return to a safe flat.
- If you cannot get out, stuff wet towels or sheets around the door and vents, phone the fire service to say exactly where you are, and signal from a window.
- Do not go back for belongings.
A quick residents’ checklist
- Have I seen the current fire NOC or certificate for my tower, and its renewal date?
- When was the last fire audit, and were the defects fixed?
- When was the last evacuation drill?
- Do the hose cabinet, alarm and emergency lights on my floor work?
- Are the staircases and refuge areas clear?
- Do I know two ways out from my floor?
- Do I have a smoke alarm and an extinguisher at home?
- Is my AC serviced and my electrical load within limits?
If you are comparing ready-to-move societies on ADiHomes, add these questions to your site visit. A society that answers them easily is usually a well-run one.
Frequently asked questions
Can fire ladders in NCR reach the top floors of high-rises?
Often not. Platforms in Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram have been reported at about 42 metres, or roughly 14 floors. Ghaziabad approved ₹100 crore for two 102-metre platforms in 2026, and Noida's fire chief said one was being procured.
How do I check whether my society has a valid fire NOC?
Ask the AOA or maintenance agency for the fire certificate, its renewal date and the latest fire audit report. In Haryana, NOC conditions also require an annual self-declaration that the systems work, and the RERA project page may hold the original NOC.
Should I use the lift during a fire?
No. Use the stairs. Lifts should be used only if firefighters direct you to, because they can fail or carry you into smoke.
What is a refuge area?
It is a fire-protected space within a tall building where residents can wait for rescue if stairs are blocked. NBC 2016 requires refuge areas in buildings taller than 24 metres, and they must be kept open and empty.
What causes most flat fires in NCR?
Electrical faults are a leading cause, and many recent cases have been linked to air conditioners. The Central Electricity Authority advised in July 2026 that consumers stay within their sanctioned load and check that their wiring can carry their appliances.
Which fire extinguisher should I keep at home?
A multi-purpose ABC dry powder extinguisher covers most household fires, including electrical ones. Check its refill date and learn how to use it.
Sources
- Inventiva: Tall skyscrapers but short firefighters, Delhi NCR (May 2026)
- Outlook Money: How safe are India's high-rises?
- Constro Facilitator: GDA sanctions ₹100 crore for hydraulic platforms
- The Tribune: Ghaziabad high-rise blaze guts seven flats, no casualties
- The Tribune: Fire breaks out in 12th-floor flat of Noida high-rise
- NoBroker Times: Noida condo fire safety reports missing, DM pulls up authorities
- Uttar Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022 (India Code)
- Lawrbit: Changes in fire safety provisions of Haryana
- Urban Local Bodies Haryana: Fire NOC services
- Infralens: NBC 2016 refuge area requirements for high-rise buildings
- SolarQuarter: CEA issues nationwide electrical safety advisory (July 2026)
- ETV Bharat: CTI issues AC safety advisory after Delhi fire
- US Fire Administration: High-rise apartment and condominium fire safety
- Hindustan Times via Elion: Noida high-rise fire audit after Lotus Boulevard fire (May 2024)
Updated 20 October 2026. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice; check current rules and project details before you decide.
