FIRE WREAKS HAVOC IN DELHI AGAIN, THREE BURNT TO DEATH, 8 INJURED

FIRE WREAKS HAVOC IN DELHI AGAIN, THREE BURNT TO DEATH, 8 INJURED

12-JUNE-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

DELHI---------------------------Three people died after a massive fire broke out in a five-story building in Delhi's Tughlakabad area on Friday morning. Fire tenders brought the blaze under control after hours of effort. Eight people were injured. The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday in a five-story residential building; while three people lost their lives, eight others—including five women—suffered burns. Firefighters carried out a risky rescue operation to safely evacuate all the injured from the building and transport them to the hospital.

According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), the fire was reported at 2:25 AM.

The incident took place at a house near Naya Tara Apartments in Lane No. 1, Tughlakabad.

Upon receiving the information, seven fire tenders were dispatched to the scene; additional vehicles were sent later as more calls came in.

Officials stated that the fire originated in the ground-floor parking area, where three scooters, two motorcycles, and a bicycle were parked. Within a short time, the fire and thick smoke spread throughout the building. The ground, first, and second floors were completely damaged, while the upper floors sustained partial damage.

Firefighters conducted rescue operations from both inside and outside the building to evacuate those trapped. The team reached the roof, cut the lock on the gate, and entered the premises. A total of eight people, including two young women trapped on the roof, were safely rescued.

All the injured were taken to the hospital with the help of CATS ambulances and PCR vans. At 6:40 AM, DFS officials reported that five women had been admitted to the burn ward at Safdarjung Hospital, while two women and one man were admitted to the Burn and Plastic Surgery Department at the AIIMS Trauma Centre. Doctors declared the two women admitted to Safdarjung Hospital dead, while the other three are undergoing treatment. Meanwhile, the man admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre also passed away. The condition of the two other women is reported to be critical, and they are receiving treatment. The fire department announced the completion of the firefighting and rescue operations at 4:00 AM. Preliminary investigations suggest that smoke originating from the parking area spread rapidly to the upper floors, trapping people inside the building. The police and fire department are investigating the cause of the fire.

A local resident named Renu said, "We live nearby. We received a call about the fire at 2:00 AM. When we arrived, the entire neighborhood had gathered to help. We saw vehicles exploding on the ground floor; there were seven bikes and a scooter, and they were all bursting into flames. We doused the fire with water. We also rescued people from the rear by helping them climb down using sarees. We cut through the security grille at the back to get the girls out. In total, eight people were injured, and one person died. A man living on the fourth floor lost his life; his name was Pankaj. The incident occurred right at 2:00 AM, and the call was made at 2:10 AM."

It is worth noting that on June 3, a massive fire at 'Flourish Stay' hotel in Hauz Rani village, Malviya Nagar, Delhi, resulted in the deaths of 23 people who were burned alive, while several others were injured. The deceased included 13 foreign nationals. Earlier, on May 3, nine members from two families—including a child—died in a fire at a residential building in East Delhi's Vivek Vihar. The fire had reportedly broken out due to an explosion in an air conditioner (AC).