NewDelhi: A fire broke out early Sunday morning in a four-storey building in the Vivek Vihar area of Shahdara, leaving at least 9 people dead, officials said. Delhi police confirmed a total of nine deaths.
According to local residents, the fire resulted from a blast in the AC.
Locals also added that, 12-15 people were rescued while 4-5 are still missing.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Shahdara District, Rajendra Prasad Meena, fire tenders rushed to the spot after receiving a call around 4 am and brought the blaze under control.
He added that search operations are still underway to find any remaining victims.
Speaking to ANI, Meena said, “Fire broke out in a house in a four-story building in Vivek Vihar, with casualties on the second floor. So far, 3-4 bodies have been found, and the search for the remaining remains is ongoing. We’re still searching. We’ll let you know once the search is complete.”
“Early in the morning, we got a call about a fire. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control. 3-4 bodies have been recovered from here. We’re still searching. We got the call at around 4 AM,” Meena further said.
Local Municipal Councillor Pankaj Luthra said, “On the back side of the second floor, five bodies were found… Another body was found on the back side, and three bodies were located on the top floor… Identification is currently impossible.”
“We are still conducting further checks, but until DNA testing is performed, we will be unable to determine the gender of the victims… A total of nine bodies have been confirmed.We are still checking for others. People are attributing this to a short circuit, but nothing has been officially confirmed yet regarding the exact cause of the incident,” he added.
According to the Delhi Police, during the preliminary enquiry, nine persons have lost their lives in the fire incident.
Fire was found in the flats situated on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors. During rescue and fire extinguishing operations, 10/15 persons were rescued from the building, out of whom two persons, having sustained minor injuries, were shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for medical treatment. 12 fire tenders were at the spot with DDMA staff, traffic officials, and local police.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Shahdara, Sanjay Goyal visited the incident site and expressed grief over the fire incident, stating that a short circuit is believed to be the primary cause of the devastating blaze that broke out in a building located in Block B of the area and rapidly spread across four floors.
Goyal said the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, when several residents were unable to unlock their flats and consequently lost their lives.
He added that the bodies, which were severely charred and turned into what he described as “skeletons”, will be identified through DNA sampling.
“This is a very sad incident… The incident happened in the building situated in Block B of Vivek Vihar. There are 8 flats in the building. Because of a short circuit, at around 3:45 am, the fire started and spread to all 4 floors of the building. Because some people were unable to open the lock, they lost their lives… Bodies are being taken to the mortuary of GTB Hospital for identification,” Goyal said.
“Some bodies have been converted into skeletons… Their identification will be done through DNA sampling. Police have taken photographs of the bodies for their identification… A short circuit is said to be the main cause behind this incident; however, some are saying it happened because of a blast in the AC,” he added.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu expressed deep sorrow over the tragic fire incident in Vivek Vihar.In a post on X, he said, “I am deeply saddened by the devastating fire in Vivek Vihar. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones in this heartbreaking tragedy.”
He added that authorities have been instructed to provide immediate medical care to the injured and extend all necessary relief and support to those affected. Delhi Fire Service personnel and emergency response teams are working round the clock at the site to manage the situation.
Delhi CM condoles loss of lives
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed profound grief over the tragic fire incident in Vivek Vihar.In a post on X, she said: “The fire in a building in Vivek Vihar is extremely heartbreaking. I am deeply saddened by the loss of nine precious lives in this accident.
“She further stated that the injured are receiving treatment at the nearest hospital and prayed for their speedy recovery. “In this hour of grief, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray that God gives them the strength to overcome this immense pain,” she added.
CM Gupta assured that senior officials from the Delhi government, DDMA, Delhi Fire Service, and Delhi Police are actively engaged in rescue and relief operations. “The situation is being closely monitored, and every possible assistance is being provided to those affected,” she said.She also mentioned that the local MLA and municipal councillors are on the ground extending support. “The Delhi government stands shoulder to shoulder with the affected families during this difficult time,” Gupta affirmed.
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