Nepal sees an increase in fire incidents that were triggered by gas leaks and electrical short circuits

Kathmandu, May 16: Nepal is witness to an increase in fire incidents, which is largely driven by gas leaks and electrical short circuits and is increasingly risks to public security.

On Wednesday morning, a gas leak triggered a fire in a house in Makhan Tole, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-24 and killed the 80-year-old Bishnu Adhikari from Kavrepalanchok. The fire started in a mud-and-wood house from Dayaram Shrestha and quickly spread to a fifth-story concrete building from Rukesh Shrestha.

It took six fire engines – from Juddha Barun, the Nepalese army, the metropolitan city of Lalitpur, Ramhiti and Balaju industrial area – about three hours to control the fire and prevent further damage.

Before the Makhan -Tole -fire could be fully contained, another fire broke out in a clothing camp in Satungal, Kathmandu, early Thursday morning. This fire started around 5:20 a.m. and was checked at 7:00 a.m.

The twin incidents alerted the residents. Pramila Thapa, who lives near the Makhan -Tole Fire Fire, said: “It took so long to control the fire in the heart of the city – we feared that the entire neighborhood would burn.”

Challenges in the fire reaction

Jagdish Aryal, head of the disaster management department of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), said that narrow streets and ongoing road buildings delayed the arrival of fire engines. “Firefighters should leave within two minutes after a warning, but they often slow down street observation and traffic jams,” he said. “Every minute counts during a fire.”

Aryal found a recently occurring increase in the fires associated with gas leaks and electrical errors. “The awareness of these topics is particularly lacking in gas companies,” he said.

Causes and risks

Narrow roads, densely built settlements, lack of water sources, electrical materials of poor quality and insecure fuel stores have contributed to the growing fire risks-especially in urban areas. Many houses in Kathmandu use combustible materials such as wood, and limited access makes the fire brigade difficult.

Gas bottles in particular have become a great danger. Nepal lacks a regulatory system for monitoring the quality of cylinders and pipes and increases the risk of explosions and fires. Aryal emphasized the need that gas companies have to assume more responsibility for security education.

Fire beyond the capital

Fires are not limited to urban centers. Rural areas, especially in the Teraai, face seasonal fire threats that sometimes destroy entire settlements. The increasing use of gas in rural houses has also introduced new dangers there.

What was once a seasonal problem is now all year round. “In the past, the dry season used to take place, but now they are also performing in rainy and cold months,” said Aryal. “Fires can break out at any time due to household furnaces, gas leaks and electrical shorts – especially during the hot season.”

Alarming statistics

Government data from 2013 to 2024 (2070–2080 BS) show 23,142 fire incidents in Nepal. Forest fires alone caused 23 billion rupees and demanded 875 lives. More than 13,000 structures were damaged and over 7,000 cattle were lost.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) from July 16, 2024 to April 14, 2025, there were 2,848 fire incidents nationwide, which led to 50 deaths and 404 injuries. Fires have completely destroyed 525 houses and damaged 265 others, with 3,352 families being affected and causing losses of more than 1.44 billion rupees. In addition, 522 animal scales were burned and killed 1,389 cattle.

Lack of combustion treatment plants

Despite the increasing number of fire and combustion injuries, Nepal is missing adequate treatment plants. Combustion cases are more common in rural areas, but there are no specialized combustion hospitals outside of Kathmandu. Even in the capital, only 83 combustion beds are available – among hospitals such as Teaching Hospital (9), Kanti (22), Kirtipur (35), Sushma Memorial (25), Patan (5) and Bir Hospital (12).

“Almost 100,000 combustion injuries occur annually, but the treatment centers are scarce,” said Aryal, emphasizing that timely treatment for reducing complications is of crucial importance.

He called for a special Burn Hospital in Kathmandu and at least one combustion center in the seven provinces. “Gas companies and the electricity authority should also carry out awareness campaigns,” he added. “You can play a role in preventing the fires and supporting potters.”