New Delhi: Two persons have been arrested and rescue operations are still on after a massive fire in a four-storey commercial building in Outer Delhi’s Mundka on Friday night left 27 people dead and 12 injured in one of the worst fire tragedies in the national capital.
At least 50 people have been rescued from the building while some are still feared trapped inside. The Delhi Fire Service deployed cranes to rescue those trapped. Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg said 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
As the fire, suspected to have started on the first floor, spread, several people rushed to the upper floors. Video clips showed people using ropes to climb down or trying to escape through broken windows. According to reports, the building has only one staircase, which prevented people from escaping.
The first floor housed the office of a CCTV camera and router manufacturing company. A generator was kept on this floor. The owners of the company — Harish Goel and Varun Goel — have been arrested, police said. The owner of the building, identified as Manish Lakra, is on the run.
Although the fire started at around 4.40 pm on Friday, the magnitude of the tragedy struck only at night when the flames were doused and fire and rescue personnel could enter the building. Charred bodies were strewn all over. A motivational speech event was being held on the second floor when the fire broke out. Police suspect most deaths took place on this floor.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were among several politicians to express their condolences over the tragedy.
The Prime Minister announced Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Home Minister Amit Shah said he was in constant touch with the authorities and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had been pressed into service.
I happened to pass by the fire that took place near Mundka metro station, Delhi. Was heartbroken to see this. Can only imagine the people who suffered because of it. Sending prayers 🙏 #delhifire #mundka
Praying for the people out there #DelhiFire #mundka #fireaccident pic.twitter.com/w6xfwIKAUo— आशुतोष यादव (@itsashuydv) May 13, 2022
16 people dead, several injured in #Delhi #Mundka fire incident, if you look at this commercial building there's no proper fire safety planning, this is major cause for causality, the Govt and authorities should investigate it and punish the guilty. pic.twitter.com/duvxnH9Fqy
— Riaz ᴬʰᵐᵉᵈ (@riazgold) May 13, 2022
27 dead in the Delhi Mundka fire. Imagine how many more deathtraps there are in Delhi’s endless landscape of buildings without fire safety compliance. pic.twitter.com/SPyDcSOXSp
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 14, 2022
people were jumping from the building to save their lives, while some were jump through rope, help of crain also being taken. 40+ confirmed deaths so far… prayers with them💔🙏🏻 #DelhiFire #mundka #MundkaFire #prayers pic.twitter.com/FM0tT8Gnwd
— ABHI • LAKRA (@lkraxabhi) May 13, 2022
