Amid the record-breaking heat across the country, the use of air conditioners is increasing rapidly, but along with it, incidents of AC blasts and fires are also increasing the concern. The latest case is from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, where 15 people died in a massive fire that broke out in a coaching center located in Aliganj. Urban Development and Energy Minister of Uttar Pradesh A. Of. According to Sharma, the fire may have started in the AC duct of the building, while people died due to suffocation due to smoke and lack of proper evacuation route.
In the last two years, more than 100 people have died in incidents of AC blast, short circuit and related fires in different parts of the country. According to Delhi Fire Services, in the month of June, 3 to 5 calls are received every day only related to sparking or fire in AC. In such a situation, the question is why the AC is becoming a ball of fire and what mistakes are people making which are costing their lives.
With the increasing heat in the country, the air conditioner market has reached a record level. According to the 2026 report of market research firm ICRA and TechSai Research, India's room AC industry registered an annual growth of 20 to 25 percent in the financial year 2025 and sold about 1.25 crore units. According to a report by Reuters, at present about 11 crore people in India use AC. But this number is going to increase manifold in the coming years. It is estimated that by 2035 about 50 crore Indians and by 2050 about 100 crore Indians can use AC. This means that the AC load in homes, offices and commercial buildings will increase rapidly in the coming years. In such a situation, the need for security, maintenance and better wiring will become more important than ever.
Many worrying things have come to light in the analysis of the data of the last two years of the fire department and NCRB. According to the report, in 60 to 70 percent of the total fire incidents in cities in summer, short circuit or technical faults related to AC emerge as the main reason. According to Delhi Fire Services, during June, on an average 3 to 5 calls are received every day related to sparking, short circuit or fire in AC. According to fire department data, more than 150 cases of AC short circuit and compressor burst were recorded in this area alone in the year 2024. These incidents have increased due to rising temperatures and continuous use.
Many major accidents in the last two years have raised serious questions regarding AC safety. Nine people were killed in a massive fire that broke out in a residential building in Delhi's Vivek Vihar, where initial investigation found AC and short circuit to be the cause. Former IAS officer Dhanendra Kumar died due to suffocation due to smoke after AC caught fire in Hauz Khas. Three people of the same family lost their lives in a fire that broke out after an AC blast in Faridabad, Haryana. Now a new case of death of 15 students has come to light in the massive fire that broke out at the coaching center in Aliganj, Lucknow on June 22, 2026. According to officials, the fire was suspected to have started from a short circuit in the AC duct. Apart from this, incidents of fire related to AC have also been reported in Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Mukherjee Nagar.
There are many technical reasons behind AC blast. The biggest reason is excessive pressure and overheating within the compressor. When the AC runs continuously for several hours without stopping, the pressure on the compressor increases. If dust accumulates on the condenser coils or the outdoor unit does not receive adequate ventilation, heat cannot escape. Apart from this, if there is leakage in refrigerant gas, the risk of fire along with sparking increases. Bad wiring, voltage fluctuation and wrong installation can also cause AC accidents. After incidents of fire in AC units in many cities including Ghaziabad in June 2024, fire officials had cited excessive heat and overloading as the main reasons.
Carelessness of users is also a major reason behind most of the accidents occurring due to AC. It is often seen that people do not get the AC serviced for many years, due to which dust keeps accumulating inside the machine and the pressure on the compressor increases. Getting cheap gas filled from local mechanics, installing fake parts and running AC without stabilizer also increases the risk. In many homes, high capacity ACs are installed on old or low capacity wiring, which creates the risk of short circuit. Running AC continuously for 10 to 12 hours and not getting maintenance done on time also becomes the cause of major accidents.
Reports from the fire brigade and investigating agencies show that most of the deaths are not caused directly by the blast but due to smoke. In accidents that happen at night, people are in deep sleep and do not get a chance to come out. Due to burning of AC and plastic, poisonous smoke quickly spreads throughout the room, causing suffocation. In many cases, only one exit, locked gate or poor ventilation in buildings became major reasons for deaths. Even in cases like Vivek Vihar, Hauz Khas and Lucknow, the effect of smoke proved to be the most fatal.
Experts advise that before the start of every season, AC service should be done from an authorized service center. Do not run the AC continuously for more than 7 to 8 hours and give it rest in between. It is also important to install a stabilizer of correct capacity and good quality MCB in the house. Place the outdoor unit in an open and ventilated area so that heat can escape easily. If there is a burning smell, unusual sound or sparking coming from the AC, it should be immediately switched off and checked by an expert.
