Kathmandu Records Over 2,700 Fire Incidents in One Year

More than 2,700 fire incidents were reported in Kathmandu district over the past year, according to the District Police Range, Kathmandu. In fiscal year 2024/25, the district recorded a total of 2,722 fire-related incidents.

The highest number of incidents occurred due to electrical short circuits involving utility poles, transformers, residential buildings, and meter boxes. Police data shows that 1,876 fires originated from utility poles and transformers, while 407 occurred in residential buildings.

In addition, 45 incidents were caused by gas leaks, 68 by forest fires, and 326 by other reasons, said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bishwo Adhikari. He stated that police personnel were immediately deployed in coordination with other agencies upon receiving reports of fires.

Police Response Times

According to the District Police Range, 42% of the incidents saw police reach the site within five minutes. SSP Adhikari said the control room promptly directs the nearest units to the location upon receiving a report. Police reached the scene within 10 minutes in 24% of the cases, 15 minutes in 21%, 20 minutes in 9%, 25 minutes in 2%, and 30 minutes in 1% of the incidents. In a few cases, it took more than 30 minutes due to factors such as traffic congestion, difficulties in locating the site, and prioritizing multiple incidents.

Police said they have adopted various measures to minimize delays and bring situations under control as quickly as possible. Reports of fires and other crimes are received through hotlines, SMS, CCTV, social media, the police mobile app, radio sets, office and personal phone calls, and in person.

Meanwhile, Kathmandu police received more than 428,000 crime-related reports in the past year alone.

Protests Concentrated in Kathmandu

Police statistics also show that Kathmandu accounted for the highest number of sit-ins, protests, hunger strikes, and lockouts in the country last year. Of all sit-ins held nationwide, 42.73% took place in Kathmandu, along with 21.61% of protest rallies. Within the Kathmandu Valley, the Kathmandu district saw 81.68% of sit-ins and 74% of protest rallies.

Managing these events required the deployment of 386,940 police personnel. Major protest events included demonstrations by teachers, cooperative members, pro-monarchy groups, the Socialist Front, and other political parties and groups opposing the current system. -- RSS