NEW DELHI, May 3: A devastating fire ripped through a residential building in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar in the early hours of Sunday, leaving nine people from two families, including a toddler, dead, with an air-conditioner blast suspected to have triggered the blaze, officials said.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
The fire broke out around 3:50 am in a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar Phase-I and rapidly spread from the rear portion, engulfing flats from the first to the fourth floors and trapping residents inside as thick smoke filled the structure.
A preliminary inquiry suggests that the fire may have originated due to an air-conditioner blast on a lower floor, with strong winds intensifying the flames, a senior police officer said.
The building’s design and safety features appear to have worsened the tragedy. It had a single central staircase serving as the only entry and exit, while the terrace door was locked, preventing escape.
Thick iron grills and enclosed balconies at the rear, along with a narrow lane lined with adjoining structures and overhead wires, further hampered evacuation and rescue efforts.
“With the electricity supply disrupted, the centrally-locked doors could not be opened easily and the elevator became non-functional. We had to cut through iron grills to reach those trapped,” a firefighter said, adding that ladders and a turntable ladder vehicle were used to rescue around 15 people.
Twelve fire tenders, along with teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), police and volunteers, were pressed into service. The blaze was brought under control after several hours.
According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), nine charred bodies were found from different parts of the building, including from flats and the staircase leading to the locked terrace.
Five members of a family — Arvind Jain (60), his wife Anita Jain (58), their son Nishant Jain (35), daughter-in-law Anchal Jain (33) and grandson Akash — were found dead. In another flat, Nitin Jain (50), his wife Shailey Jain (48) and their son Samyak Jain (25) lost their lives.
On a lower floor, Shikha Jain (45) was found dead, while her husband Naveen Jain sustained burn injuries and is undergoing treatment. Their two daughters managed to escape with the help of locals, officials said.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes, with people screaming for help as the flames spread rapidly. Some victims reportedly tried to reach the terrace but were unable to escape as the access door was locked.
“The bodies of some victims were found near the staircase leading to the roof. Had the terrace door been open, they might have survived,” a firefighter said.
Family members and friends said some victims made frantic calls for help as the fire intensified. “He kept calling people, saying ‘save me, save me’,” a friend of one of the deceased said.
Around 10 to 15 people were rescued, while two persons with minor injuries were taken to the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital.
In a statement, the hospital said, “On receipt of information regarding the fire incident at Vivek Vihar, the hospital immediately activated its Disaster Management Protocol (Code Red) in anticipation of casualties.”
It added that all the departments concerned were alerted and senior officers of both clinical departments and the administration promptly mobilised to ensure full preparedness for receiving patients.
“Three persons with burn injuries reported to the hospital at approximately 5 am. One was admitted for further management, while two were treated in the Emergency department,” the hospital said.
A case has been registered under section 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Vivek Vihar police station and a probe is on to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and examine possible lapses. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
